Harry Potter and the Greatest Power of All
by Maegmel
Summary: Many things are changing in the world of Harry Potter and his friends old crushes disappear to have new ones take their place, enemies retaliate or do they? New fears and friends abound, and the wizarding world is approaching the brink of disaster... AU
1. Surprise Visit

**Disclaimer**: I do not own any recognizable characters, they all belong to J.K. Rowling. Besides, if I did do you think I'd write fan fiction about it?

**A/N**: I am going to warn everyone here, this story will contain romance between characters. I have chosen not to reveal which couples I have support ahead of time, because I want this story to be read not because of the ships I support (or don't support) but because this story is written well (Hopefully). When the couples are revealed I ask that there are no flames concerning what I have chosen, if you don't like them, don't read anymore.

I will also say that I have gone to every extreme I can to find the facts that pertain to this series, and where there are no answers or vague ones I use artistic license. I have clearly invented some things, but it is only to add to the series (I hope!). I also intend to have a sequel after this if I can get my lazy butt into action…

_Chapter 1-Surprise Visit_

On a dark street in London there was a line of dim houses, but one house had a dull light coming from the back right window. The room adjacent to this window belonged to a young fifteen-year-old boy who had just lit a candle after waking up from a nightmare.

He sat on the edge of his bed running his hands through his messy black hair, and stopping on a strangely-shaped lightning bolt scar on his forehead. He sighs and looks across the room towards a bird cage with a snowy white owl inside, a clear look of disappointment on his face. "Looks like we're stranded here all summer Hedwig." He says in a depressed tone. The owl looks back at its owner with sympathy and a soft, pathetic hoot.

Then the boy slowly moves towards the candle to pick it up and silently makes his way down stairs. As he passes through the hallway at the bottom of the stairs we get a better view of him still wearing his pajamas as he passes a tall grandfather clock that chimes midnight.

The young man glances up at the clock and sees the time, "Happy Sixteenth Birthday Harry Potter." He says sarcastically, before sitting down on the couch across from a fake fireplace. He sets the candle down on the table in front of him.

Unexpectedly, he is transported back to a memory now five years old. There is a younger version of this same young man lying on the floor drawing pictures in the dirt during the middle of a terrible storm.

Then the door bursts open and a large, burly man stands in the opening carrying a large pink umbrella. He has a long dark scraggly beard and greets young Harry as though he knew him his entire life. Harry looks up surprised from his dirt drawings, and stares at the man who he has clearly never seen before.

Suddenly, back in the living room, there is a flash of green fire and a dust cloud enter the room, then some of the bricks crumble away from the chimney as an old man with an oddly-shaped eye stumbles, coughing and sputtering into the room. However, the boy does not see or hear him, as he is still reliving his memory.

In his dream the burly man tells Harry he is a very powerful wizard, but Harry does not believe him, so the big man begins to explain.

The next person to enter from the chimney is a young woman who has become quite beautiful, and is about Harry's age with brown curly hair that seems to have a life of its own. She is robed in a black cape with a red and gold coat of arms in the left-hand corner. After dusting herself off she glances around the room and looks over to where the old man is gazing. She sees Harry sitting there staring into space and she runs forward.

"Harry! Oh I'm so glad to see you! We would have come sooner only we couldn't have. How have you been? I hope they haven't been nasty to you again!" she says quickly while throwing her arms about him in a friendly manner.

Young Harry snaps out of his dreamlike state at the sound of her voice, "Hermione! What are you doing here?" he asks, a smile spreading across his features as he hugs her in return.

"We're here to rescue you." She says extricating herself from his tight grasp.

"Then where's Ron?" he asks puzzled.

Hermione's face turns dark even in the already faint light. "He and his family offered to take you again like all the years past, but it was decided to be too dangerous, so you're to go somewhere else. I'll tell you more later, come on." She says taking hold of his hand and pulling him off of the couch.

Harry is about to follow when another green flash and cloud appears out of the chimney and a tallish man with mousy-brown hair and a friendly smile appears.

Harry lets go of Hermione's hand and dashes forward to meet the newcomer, "Professor Lupin!" he says grabbing the man's hand, "Are you here to rescue me too?" he asks excitedly.

Lupin's smile widens, "Yes my dear boy, Hermione, Moody and I are here to get you out as safely and secretly as possible."

Harry turns to the third person, "I'm sorry I didn't even see you there Mr. Moody."

"That's quite all right Harry; it is a very good sign for an auror when he cannot be easily spotted." Mr. Moody replies cheerfully.

"Now, let's get your things." Hermione begins, "Where are they?"

"Hedwig's upstairs, but the rest of my things including my wand are locked underneath the stairs. My uncle hardly allowed me to keep Hedwig in my room he was so mad with what happened last year." Harry replies bitterly.

"They took your _WAND_ away!" Hermione exclaims, "How stupid are your aunt and uncle? The most powerful dark wizard is out to kill you and they deprive you of your wand!"

She looks back at him amazed, and then at the two adults who nod, "We feared that was the case after Moody here sent him two letters neither of which were answered, and yours and Ron's weren't answered either." Lupin replies, "But we couldn't get down here any sooner with everything that's been going on."

"We must not waste time Remus, we must get Harry's things and be out of here within the half hour because the Order can't afford to guard it any longer. Besides the floos won't be hooked up either." Moody says impatiently with a nervous glance around the room.

"One of us could always apparate there and set up a portkey." Lupin suggests

"We do not have permission to apparate nor set up portkeys on such a dangerous mission as this Remus, now we must move!" Mr. Moody exclaims making a move towards the cabinet under the stairs.

He aims his wand at the lock, "_Alohamora!"_ he says and the door swings open.

"Wait a second, are you sure that you're allowed to use magic here? The last time that happened I nearly got kicked out of Hogwarts." Harry says worriedly.

"Don't worry; we are authorized to use any magic necessary to get you out of here safely." Lupin replies as he dives into the cupboard to retrieve a rather large trunk.

As he come out he accidentally knocks his head on the entrance to the cupboard, "OUCH!" he shouts, and he barely manages to set the trunk down away from his feet as he rubs his head, "That is far too low for a grown man like me." He complains looking threateningly at the cabinet.

Hermione busies herself with opening the trunk, and Harry is leaning over her shoulder when suddenly he freezes as footsteps and frantic whispers are heard upstairs.

All eyes turn towards the stairs where three people emerge from the upstairs.

They slowly come downstairs, the largest a middle-aged fat man with a face that is quickly turning purple in rage who is carrying a shotgun and dressed in a bathrobe.

The next we assume to be his wife as she is about his age. However, she is thin with a long bony nose and reddish-brown hair that is twisted tightly up in curlers, and also wearing a robe over her pajamas.

Lastly there is a young man just about Harry's age, but nearly three times his width and who clearly resembles a pig in appearance and eating habits. This boy has also just been awakened from bed as he too is in his nightclothes. He is also cowering behind his parents, and curiously clutching his behind.

Harry's face hardens and Hermione slips him his wand behind his back, and he thanks her with a quick smile, before turning to face his relatives.

Harry, however, does not get the first word.

"Just what do you think you're doing at this hour of the night with these renegades which we have already told you are forbidden to set foot in this house!" the fat man demands brandishing his firearm menacingly.

Hermione, before Harry can get a word in, mutters an incantation under her breath while pointing her wand at the shotgun, and the muzzle (barrel) of the gun flops over like it was made of jelly.

The fat man looks at his firearm completely stupefied, and Harry jumps in, "Uncle Vernon I am leaving this house tonight to go back to Hogwarts, and I shall not be returning until summer." He says confidently, "These 'renegades' as you call them he motions to Lupin, Moody and Hermione are my friends who have come to escort me out. Also, if I were you I would not offend them because they are all very skilled at their magic."

Uncle Vernon looks up from his damaged weapon, "I told you Harry that you will never go back to Hogwarts again, not after you nearly killed my son last year." He says angrily, his face turning purple again.

Harry is visibly trying to control himself throughout his uncle's speech, and at the end he loses control, "**I DID NOT TRY TO KILL YOUR SON, I SAVED HIS MISERABLE LIFE THAT NIGHT!**" he shouts, and the lights in the room start flickering on and off, and a thunderstorm starts just outside. He starts walking menacingly towards his uncle, who in turn stomps over towards Harry.

"**YOU DID TRY TO KILL MY SON! HE TOLD US SO! NOW GET UP TO YOUR ROOM THIS INSTANT!"** Uncle Vernon bellows

Harry glares back at him, "**WHY DO YOU BELIEVE EVERYTHING HE SAYS! YOU KNOW HE ALWAYS LIES TO YOU! HE'S HARDLY EVER TOLD YOU THE TRUTH**!" Harry shouts back, and he stomps his foot for emphasis.

Uncle Vernon reaches out towards Harry's face, and before anyone can stop him he grabs Harry's glasses and crushes them in his fist.

"**I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU, BOY!"** he screams angrily.

Hermione comes forward and tries to move Harry away, "Come on, let's go we'll get you a new pair at Diagon Alley." She says putting her hand on his shoulder.

Uncle Vernon peers out of his squinty eyes at her and says, "Get out of here you tramp! This is between me and the boy!" he declares

"**SHE'S NOT A TRAMP!"** Harry shouts, and he tries to punch his uncle, but Uncle Vernon blocks his fist and slaps Harry instead.

Finally Hermione loses her temper, "_Repello!"_ she says loudly pointing her wand at Uncle Vernon, and he flies backwards into the wall, and is knocked unconscious. Then she aims at him again, but Aunt Petunia gets in the way.

"You will not touch him! You are an evil little girl, and I will not let you hurt him again!" she screams in a frightened manner as she tries to cover her husband's large frame with her small one.

Hermione advances, "I was not going to hurt him again," she says more quietly, "I was simply going to-"

"I don't care what you were going to do! All witchcraft is evil! You just think that by doing this you're going to get on Harry's good side so he'll fall in love with you! I know your plans you devious child! Do you think I'm blind?" she screeches.

Hermione turns red all over, but she does not back down. "If I wanted to make your nephew love me that is not how I would go about it!" she says in a hard tone, and before Aunt Petunia can stop her she raises her wand. "_Accio Harry's glasses_!" she shouts and Harry's mangled glasses fly out of Uncle Vernon's still-clenched fist into Hermione's outstretched hand.

"_Occulus Reparo!"_ Hermione says aiming at the pitiful looking glasses and they instantly repair themselves, she hands them triumphantly to Harry who looks at her absolutely stunned. Hermione grins.

"We will be going now." Professor Lupin says trying to keep a laugh out of his voice.

The four of them begin to gather Harry's things, and aside from looking at them suspiciously, Aunt Petunia and Dudley do nothing to prevent them from leaving.

Lupin goes to the chimney first, carrying Harry's heavy trunk, Hermione throws some floo powder on him, and green flames engulf the fireplace. Aunt Petunia screams, but everyone ignores her. "8 Otter Avenue." He says clearly before disappearing in a poof of green dust.

Harry turns to Hermione quizzically, "Where is 8 Otter Avenue? Who does it belong to?"

"I can't tell you now Harry, except that it's perfectly safe." She says somewhat exasperatedly.

"I can't go to a place I don't know just dressed in my pajamas Hermione." He responds turning rather red.

She laughs, "Since when are you ever worried about decorum Harry?"

He turns his head almost imperceptibly towards his aunt and grunts.

"Oh." Hermione says turning red herself, she draws her wand and speaks softly but firmly, "_Portare_." Instantly, Harry is dressed in his school robes again. "Your pajamas are folded neatly inside your trunk."

"Thanks," he says looking down at his clothes almost unbelieving.

He grabs a handful of floo powder and Hedwig's cage and steps into the fireplace.

"Remember, 8 Otter Avenue." Hermione says in an almost motherly tone as she watches him closely.

Harry nods, and drops the powder on the fireplace, resulting in more green flames, and he says clearly, "8 Otter Avenue" before disappearing like Lupin.

Harry finds himself hurtling through space with a thoroughly frightened owl before ending up in a sooty heap on a hearth in what is clearly a muggle residence.


	2. Eight Otter Avenue

**Chapter 2-Eight Otter Avenue**

_(Harry's POV)_

Before I can stand upright and get a good look around the place I have just arrived at, another whirl of green smoke appears, and dumps Hermione right on top of me.

"Sorry, I thought you were finished." Hermione apologizes

"Apparently you have an avid fascination with knocking me down when I try to get up Hermione." I say teasingly while I dust myself off, then a middle-aged woman who looks strikingly familiar, helps me up.

"Harry, this is my mother, Dr. Helen Lily Granger, mum, this is my best friend Harry Potter." Hermione says standing up and dusting herself off, then she picks up Hedwig and places her on the table.

I then notice that Lupin is standing off to the side of another man, who I assume to be Hermione's father.

"Nice to meet you Harry, you can just call me Helen or mum if you like though. This here is my husband, Dr. Harold Douglas Granger." She says in a friendly tone after she finishes shaking Harry's hand.

Dr. Granger is about to extend his hand to Harry as well when a crack of thunder is heard and Mr. Moody pops into the Granger's living room. Lupin looks accusingly at him.

"You said we weren't to apparate Moody." Lupin complains.

Moody turns to face him, "I wouldn't have apparated, except that fat uncle of Harry's woke up and literally refused to let me leave by the floo system. He sat on the hearth to block it, and ended up breaking it into smithereens with his weight. Since he was being rude, I had no intentions of repairing it-and simply apparated out." Moody finishes

"However, I am sorry for my loud arrival, please accept my apologies." Moody says with a polite bow towards Hermione's parents.

"No apology needed." Dr. Granger says extending his hand to Moody for a shake. Then he turns to me, "Nice to meet you Harry, Hermione has told us lots about you. In fact, you are nearly all she ever talks about."

Hermione's face turns beet red in the soft lamplight, "Please dad, you know that's not true." She says with a nervous glance at me.

He laughs a good-natured laugh, 'Why of course it is! Harry Potter did this, and Harry did that, and you should have seen him catch that snitch in the last match against Slytherin! There is nothing wrong with telling Harry what you think of him now, is there?" he turns to her.

Hermione looks pleadingly at her mother, who intervenes, "Harold, perhaps it is time you let Mr. Moody inspect the premises the way he asked to earlier." She says in a soothing voice as she winks at Hermione. I glance at Lupin who is again, trying to hide a smile.

The two of them walk off, and I think I hear Moody muttering something about boggarts and deatheaters hiding in the least likely places you would imagine.

Lupin turns to Hermione and me, "I have some things for each of you." He says opening his cape. "First off, here are your OWL grades." He says handing us each an envelope addressed to us.

I tore open mine and began to scan the letter:

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We here at he OWL boards are pleased to give you the results of your examinations last year. They are as follows:_

_**Astronomy**-Acceptable_

_Comments: The examination was not finished._

_**Care of Magical Creatures**- Outstanding_

_Comments: Superb score in all areas, and curious knowledge concerning basilisks, unicorns and hippogruffs. Tops score in class!_

_**Charms-** Outstanding_

_Comments: Good performance, however improvement is possible. Good luck!_

_**Defense Against Dark Arts**-Outstanding_

_Comments: Highest score ever recorded! Clearly we have a genius emerging here! Perfect test! Patronus charm was spectacular!_

_**Divination**-Acceptable_

_Comments: Thoroughly mediocre._

_**Herbology-**Outstanding_

_Comments: Second highest score in class. Extraordinary knowledge on the effects of gillyweed._

_**History of Magic**-Outstanding_

_Comments: Second highest score in class! You must take excellent notes!_

_**Potions**-Outstanding_

_Comments: Unusual knowledge on the effects of Polyjuice potion. However, this score does not correspond with class grade-consultation with teacher recommended._

_**Transfiguration**-Outstanding_

_Comments: Shows much promise!_

_We are happy to inform you Mr. Potter, that with the exception of Potions your grades are all well in line to make you one of the most spectacular aurors ever seen. In regard to Potions, a meeting with Professors Snape and Dumbledore should rectify this. Keep up the excellent work! By the way, congratulations on becoming Head Boy of Hogwarts!_

_Suggested courses for next year:_

_Potions_

_Transfiguration_

_Charms_

_Defense Against Dark Arts_

_Note: You must have one other class to meet auror requirements._

_Sincerely,_

_The OWL/NEWT Boards_

"Well, it looks like you did very well Harry! Congratulations on Head boy. You know your father and mother were Head Boy and Girl too!" Lupin says with a twinkle in his eye, and we turn our attention to Hermione who is just opening hers.

"Why didn't you open it earlier?" I asked puzzled

"Because I wanted to see how you did." Hermione responds, and then she begins to read her letter aloud:

_"Dear Ms. Granger,_

_We here at the OWL boards are pleased to give you the results of your examinations last year. They are as follows:_

_**Ancient Runes**-Outstanding_

_Comments: Very difficult subject for such a young student. Congratulations on such a high score! Perhaps you should consider a career in Magical Archaeology._

_**Arithmacy**-Outstanding_

_Comments: Scored higher than anyone in her class. We are clearly witnessing a math genius here!_

_**Astronomy**-Exceeds Expectations_

_Comments: Had the test been finished properly, this would have been an "O."_

_**Care of Magical Creatures**-Outstanding_

_Comments: Extensive knowledge on basilisks, hippogruffs and unicorns. Second highest score in the class!_

_**Charms**-Outstanding_

_Comments: Levitating charm was superb! Tops score of class! Excellent work!_

_**Defense Against Dark Arts**-Outstanding_

_Comments: Second highest grade! Boggart banishment done perfectly! Great work!_

_**Herbology**-Outstanding_

_Comments: Highest score! Excellent work! Strange amount of knowledge on mandrakes._

_**History of Magic**-Outstanding_

_Comments: Top score! Amazing amounts of knowledge on the Goblin Rebellion of 1453 and Olaf the Strange. Excellent note-taking!_

_**Potions**-Outstanding_

_Comments: Highest score in class! Strange amounts of knowledge on the Polyjuice potion and its effects._

_**Transfiguration**-Outstanding_

_Comments: Perfect Score! Keep up the excellent work!_

_We are exceedingly happy to inform you, Ms. Granger that your grades are sufficient to make you one of the best aurors ever seen! Congratulations, also, on becoming Head Girl of Hogwarts!_

_Suggested courses for next year:_

_Potions_

_Transfiguration_

_Charms_

_Defense Against Dark Arts_

_Note: You must have one other class to meet auror requirements._

_Sincerely,_

_The OWL/NEWT Boards"_

"Mum! Did you hear that? Harry and I are Head Boy and Girl!" Hermione says excitedly as she jumps into her mother's arms.

"Yes Hermione, I'm not deaf!" she laughs, "Congratulations to the both of you!"

"Harold!" she shouts, "Hermione and Harry made Head Girl and Boy!"

"Congratulate both of them for me! Moody is showing me how he banishes a boggart right now!" Dr. Granger shouts back.

Hermione laughs as she embraces me, "Dad's obsessed with the wizarding world much like Mr. Weasley is obsessed with muggles. By the way, congrats on Head Boy!" she says with a smile.

"Thanks, but I couldn't have done it without you and your notes! Congratulations to you as well, because you certainly deserve it!" I respond also laughing.

"Great! Now let's get your stuff up to the guest room." She says eagerly grabbing Hedwig's cage.

"Wait a minute Ms. Granger!" Lupin says putting his arm on her shoulder, "In your eagerness, you have forgotten I have a few things left." He finishes solemnly.

"First, I was instructed to give you two these after you got your OWL grades." He says drawing out two identically wrapped presents addressed to each of us. "Lastly, I was also instructed that once this item was found, it was to be delivered to you Harry." He then hands me a blank envelope.

"Open the presents first though."

Hermione and I tear open our packages, and she is the first to recognize it, "Oh Harry look! It's an instructional guide on how to become an auror! I've always wanted this one!" Then she falls silent when she opens the cover and sees a note addressed to her.

Tears start to fall from her beautiful face unto the drab brown book, and my present lies forgotten on my lap as I stare at her.

"W-What's the m-matter Hermione?" I ask leaning over to comfort her, but slightly disturbed myself.

"They're from Sirius." She whispers in a desolate tone. And sure enough, I look down at her note, and see his familiar sloppy handwriting running across the page.

I freeze too, my tears threatening to fall as I read the quickly scribbled lines,

"_Hermione-_

_I know this will come in handy later on. Congratulations on your good scores, keep up the spectacular work!_

_Love,_

_Sirius Black"_

I close my eyes, as all sorts of memories concerning my beloved godfather come flooding back to me.

"He was a good man Harry, but he's gone now. There's nothing we can do." I hear Hermione say, but her voice is thick with emotion.

"She's right Harry; we cannot do anything about it now." Lupin says with as little conviction as Hermione.

Suddenly, I open my eyes and the tears fall despite my willing them not to, "What is this?" I ask grabbing the other envelope as I stand up to face Lupin.

He looks at me for the longest time, his eyes swimming with grief, until he says finally, "Sirius's will. You are his heir Harry, everything he had is now yours'." He answers sadly

"**I DON'T WANT HIS WILL! HE'S NOT DEAD!"** I scream at the top of my lungs throwing the offending item back at him, "**HE'S NOT DEAD! YOU HEAR ME, HE'S NOT DEAD**!" and then to my utter dismay I collapse weeping on the Grangers' couch.

I bury my face in my hands, ashamed at this boyish display of weakness.

I think I hear Lupin say something about leaving and I look up with my tear-stained face. "No don't go, I'm sorry I yelled." I reply rushing over to him.

He places a comforting hand on my shoulder as he looks at me, and I am shocked to discover I have nearly reached his height. "It's alright Harry, I understand completely. I must go though, because I have things to do for the Order. Dumbledore will probably visit sometime tomorrow. Here, this is yours, and besides, I think there's more than just an inheritance in there for you." Lupin says handing back the will.

I accept it grudgingly, and wave goodbye just before he apparates out.

I look over at Hermione who is wiping away her own tears, and suddenly I grab her and hug her tightly. She is the one thing that has always been stable throughout my life.

"Hermione, don't ever leave me please." I plead, still clinging to her.

"I won't ever leave you Harry, I promise." She gasps, "But you **_are_** suffocating me." She says in a strangled voice.

"Sorry." I answer releasing her.

Then I turn to look for Hermione's mother, but I can't see her. "Hermione, where is your mother?" I ask alarmed.

"In here." She calls emerging from the kitchen with two glasses of warmed milk.

"You two have dealt with a good deal tonight besides traveling through chimneys. I suggest you drink these; they'll help you go to sleep." She says soothingly.

I accept the glass she extends to me and take a sip, "I'm sorry Dr. Granger for screaming." I apologize.

"That's fine; you've been through too much for someone your age. Just go to bed, you need your rest." She answers with a smile.

I finish my glass, and already begin to feel my lack of sleep catch up with me.

Hermione starts to gather my things, and I hand my glass back to Hermione's mother, "Thanks." I say.

I grab my trunk and with some difficulty start to follow Hermione upstairs to the guest room.

By the time we get there I am too tired to look around much, and drag my trunk to the nearest corner where I dump it.

Hermione sets Hedwig's cage on a table near the window. Hedwig starts hooting and clawing at her cage.

"Has she been out recently Harry?" Hermione inquires

"Not unless you count attempting to fly around my room while I clean her cage." I respond drowsily

"I'll let her out then." Hermione says with pity in her voice.

I hear the cage door snap open as I grab my pajamas out of my trunk. I hear Hedwig hoot gratefully and fly off into the night.

Then I realize after I've taken my Gryffindor robe off that I'm undressing with Hermione in the room. _YIKES_! Fortunately, I still had my regular clothes on.

She turns towards me and I grab the offending clothes quickly and toss them into the corner with the trunk before she sees them.

"Harry…you know I'll always be here for you, and when you want to talk I'll listen." She says softly, and I think I see tears glistening on her face in the dark.

"I know, and thanks for everything. You mean more to me than you'll ever know." I respond, my tears threatening to fall again. Her face seemed to turn red, but I couldn't tell for sure with the poor lighting, and either way mine was too.

She breaks away from me abruptly, "My parents' room is down the hall to the left, and mine is the door to the right of yours. The bathroom is on the left. Unless you have any other questions, I'm going to sleep." She says not facing me.

I walk over to her and turn her around, my fingers resting beneath her chin to make her look at me, "What's the matter, did I say something wrong?" I ask concerned.

"No, it's something completely different you would probably not understand." she says after staring at me for a moment, and then breaking off embarrassed. "We need to go to sleep now, Harry."

I let her go reluctantly, and watch her walk off into the moonlit corridor.

**A/N:** Well, I've updated within the week! Yeah me! Does stupid little dance Anyways, I would like reviews people, I know lots more of you are reading this story and it sucks that only my sister can bother to review for me!

So, my dear little sis-thank you for reviewing even though you already know everything that I'm doing with this story…


	3. Hermione's Revelation

**A/N**: In this chapter I take a good deal of artistic license, and if you find you don't like it. I'm sorry, but this is how I imagine the rest of the Harry Potter series will play out. (Although what you imagine and what happens are usually two very different things.)

I would also like to say I no nothing about British Royal Navy ranks; I assume they correspond to a degree with the US ranks system.

Review reactions at bottom of chapter.

**Chapter 3-Hermione's Revelation**

_(Hermione's POV)_

It's already ten in the morning before I get out of bed. I am absolutely horrified; I wasted a good four hours sleeping.

I throw on a pair of blue jeans and a lavender sweater over my pink tank top. Normally during the summer I wear cooler clothes, but staying by the seashore means it can get pretty cold.

In a desperate attempt to conquer my hair I gel it to death, and only succeed in getting a few of the bigger curls out. In the end I give up and get into my slippers.

As I open my door I can smell my mother's wonderful breakfast wafting up the stairs, but I ignore it momentarily and knock on Harry's door.

There is no answer from within. Knowing Harry, I would not be surprised if he were still asleep. However, there was the slight chance that he woke up already and is downstairs, especially if he can smell breakfast. Harry, like nearly all guys his age seems to have a love affair with food, particularly when they haven't eaten anything in hours.

So I decide to go downstairs to see if breakfast was ready, and if Harry was up.

When I entered the kitchen I saw my mother was cooking pancakes, fried eggs and sausage while trying to chop up some apples for our fruit portion. How she does all that at once I'll never know.

"Where are Dad and Harry?" I ask her as I pour myself a glass of orange juice from the refrigerator.

"Your father left for work three hours ago, and I'll be leaving as soon as your meal is finished cooking. Harry is still asleep though." She answers as she flips two pancakes, then dashing over to save the sausage from imminent scorching.

"Do you need some help?" I ask concerned

"Why don't you serve the eggs?" she asks moving back to slicing apples.

I grab two plates and serve up the fried eggs, and check on the pancakes to make sure they're not burning. "Mum, could you please make sure Dad doesn't embarrass me in front of Harry again?" I plead

"What do you mean?" she asks scooping the apples into small bowls and shoving spoons in them.

"I mean what he said last night about me never talking about anything else except Harry and stuff like that." I answer as I take the pancakes off the griddle and put them on the plates.

"Oh that! Hermione dear, we both know how terrible your father is at making conversation." She says placing the bowls on the table, and grabbing the sausage pan and quickly placing the sausages on our plates.

"Yes, but he really embarrassed me!" I protest holding the plates for her.

"I don't think Harry suspects a thing dear." She says calmly

"_MUM_! Harry's not stupid! He found out when Ginny liked him!" I respond annoyed at her

She whirls around from the sink where she went to wash dishes, "So you do like him then?" she asks in an amused tone.

"No I don't! But he's going to think I do!" I say slamming the plates on the table.

"Alright, I'll speak to your father when I get to work. Now, remember you both need to brush your teeth after the meal, don't go outside until Dumbledore arrives, and please wash your dishes when you're finished. Tell Harry I'm sorry but we need to go to work." She closes the compact she had been using, shoves it in her purse, and then she kisses me goodbye and walks out the door.

I watch as her tall figure disappears down the driveway, and I wonder why I am so ugly in comparison to my parents. I look nothing like them.

My hair was a light brown color and was forever plagued by impossible curls. My teeth were originally too big until I had Madame Pomfrey shrink them. My eyes were the most common sort of brown you could find, and the rest of my facial features were pretty much the same. I was also medium height, where most of my friends were much taller, for instance Harry was a good three or four inches taller than me. Then there are all the Weasleys who are all taller than me-even Ginny-by at least a head.

My parents still looked handsome (or pretty) despite the fact they are both in their late forties. My father and mother both have beautiful jet black hair and blue eyes, neither of which I inherited.

However, there was one-

My thoughts were interrupted by Harry coming down the stairs and stubbing his toe as he tried to avoid Crookshanks lying on the floor.

I hear Harry curse and Crookshanks hiss menacingly, and I rush in before the two decide to kill each other.

"**_CROOKSHANKS!"_** I scream just as he sinks his teeth into Harry's leg.

I scoop the naughty feline up and open the door and shoo it outside, "That was a VERY naughty Crookshanks!" I yell after it, but Crookshanks ignores me.

"I'm sorry Harry; he's not a very friendly cat." I apologize, "How bad is it?"

He pulls up his pant-leg and I see his blood running down out of the bite. Yikes! Crookshanks has big teeth!

"Oh just ignore it Hermione, I've had a lot worse." Harry says

"You've got to a least let me clean it!" I say worriedly as I rush over to the medicine closet.

Harry tolerates my doctoring his leg for the next few minutes, but refuses a bandage of any sort. "It'll heal faster without it." He countered, so I gave up and put away the gauze.

Men are so chauvinistic! "Thanks anyway though Hermione." He says smiling, "Now, what is that wonderful scent I can smell?" he jokes walking towards the kitchen, sniffing.

"That would be breakfast you sleepyhead!" I tease

He spots the food laid out on the table, but even though I know he's hungry he doesn't dash forward just yet and turns to me, "Where are your parents? Aren't they eating?" he asks puzzled

"They have to work still Harry, and they've eaten and left already. It's just you and me until Dumbledore comes."

"Oh…" he says as if he is just starting to wake up, he looks at the food, and then turns back to me, "Can I eat now?" he asks impatiently.

"Yes!" I laugh, "Did you think I could've stopped you anyway?" However, I did not even finish my sentence before he had seated himself at the table and was devouring the food in front of him.

I shake my head and sit down beside him at the kitchen table. Men are such pigs! Then I begin to eat my own meal, albeit much more slowly than Harry.

"Vis isv vrealli ood." Harry says pointing with his fork to the pancakes, but he clearly had his mouth full and didn't intend it the way it came out.

"I'll tell my mum you said so." I say still shaking my head, and trying to keep from laughing.

Needless to say, Harry finished his entire meal before I was even finished with my apples.

He sits awkwardly beside me, trying to be polite.

Finally I break the silence, "Harry, could you please go clean your things?" I ask

He gets up from the table and stacks all the items up, and then carts them over to the sink and starts to wash them.

I watch his back as he viciously scrubs the cup to death, "Harry, that's not Draco Malfoy you know." I say jokingly

"Well it won't hurt the glass any if I pretend it is." He says turning around briefly to smile at me.

That moment for me seemed to move in slow motion, Harry whirls around with his careless boy-like grace, that huge smile he gets only when he's really happy plastered on his face. His forever untamable hair sticking out in sixty different directions, just like the pictures I'd seen of his father. His green eyes blazing with happiness and joy. Then he speaks and I get light-headed, and quickly turn back to my plate once he's finished. Why does this keep happening to me? I ask myself angrily.

Eventually, I muster enough courage to bring my things over now that I've finished. Harry offers to wash them for me, but I take a look at all the scratch marks that Harry's cleaned cup is now sporting,

"No thanks Harry, I think you've done enough damage to the eating utensils today." I joke.

"Alright, well, then I'll just go and get changed upstairs then." He says brushing against my arm as he leaves. I try to ignore the tingling feeling he gives me, and I continue to scrub my plate.

Five minutes later I realize I am still scrubbing the same plate, and now it has just as many scratches as Harry's cup.

Embarrassed at my own lack of attention span, and ability to keep my head, I rinse it off and put it in the drying rack, and quickly finish the rest of the dishes before I go into the living room. Then I look through our library trying to find something to read, that I haven't already read while I wait for Harry to return.

Harry saves me the trouble though by coming downstairs, fully dressed in muggle clothes, and carrying his beloved firebolt.

"Harry, I hope you're not intending to do what I think you're going to do." I say

"What, you mean fly this thing?" he asks teasingly as he strokes his broom fondly, "Why of course my dear Mione." He finishes with his big, bright smile.

"Remember last year when you were nearly expelled for using the Patronus charm? I don't think I'm allowed to use magic either, at least I don't know yet."

"Oh, I kind of forgot about that." He responds looking sheepish.

"Well, we can always ask Dumbledore when he arrives."

"What will we do in the meantime?" Harry replies, carefully setting down his beloved broom.

"We could start studying for our animagi or apparition tests." I offer

Suddenly Harry's eyes get a mischievous gleam, "Or…" he pauses, and then dives on me and starts tickling me, "I could tickle you to death."

"H-Harry! This…isn't fair." I laugh, trying to roll away from his evil hands, which seem to know all my most ticklish places, from behind my knees to my stomach.

"But it's _SO_ much fun!" he teases, just before I manage to escape his fingers and dash across the room.

After some evasionary tactics, I fall prey to his fingers again, because even though I can run fast, Harry runs like the wind.

"_STOP!"_ I laugh, "Harry! Please stop!" I try getting up, and accidentally trip him; he falls on the carpeted floor.

"_OUCH!"_ he exclaims as he picks himself off the ground to chase me again.

"Serves you right!" I taunt from behind the safety of a chair.

Suddenly I am distracted by a crack of thunder, and Harry uses my moment of weakness to dive on me and start tickling again.

"_HAH!_ Got you!" he shouts triumphantly as he fingers find their way to my stomach again, and then he freezes, "Uhh. Hello Professor Dumbledore." He says turning very red and quickly getting off of me and dusting himself off, he grabs my hand and helps me up. My face is burning crimson. The Headmaster of our school just caught us tussling on the floor. This is going to look **very** bad!

When I dare to bring my eyes to Dumbledore's countenance, he is smiling and his eyes hold the same mischievous gleam that Harry's did just minutes before.

"Well, I see that you two are getting along famously." He says in a neutral tone, but his eyes are laughing. Dumbledore sits down in the nearest chair, and invites us to do the same.

I sit quickly in the nearest chair, which happened to be the one that I dived behind when I was hiding from Harry. Speaking of Harry, we are both studiously avoiding each other's eyes.

"I am glad to see that you have not suffered too much from your stay with the Dursleys Harry." Dumbledore begins, "However, there are more important things to talk about than them." He pauses.

"Now, do you know why Ron isn't here?" he asks Harry.

"Not really." Harry answers watching Dumbledore intensely

"Well, the Weasley twins made so much money with their new store that they decided to take the family on a vacation to Tibet. Of course, Fred and George went there as well to try to find some Grey-winged Dragon scales for one of their projects.

"They offered to take you Harry, as well as Hermione instead of their own brother Percy, but I decided against it. Not because I wanted to deprive you of your friends, but because I wanted to protect all of you. The reason being, after last year's incident at the Department of Mysteries, you are all marked by Voldemort for capture/destruction. Since wizarding families are easier to trace than muggle ones, you are safer here with the Grangers in this isolated muggle residence than with the Weasleys in Tibet, Harry. I am especially grateful to your parents' sacrifice Hermione, since it must be harder the second time around."

"If that is the case, then why are all three of us allowed to attend Hogwarts together?" I ask

"What do you mean 'the second time around' Professor?" Harry asks at the exact same time as my question.

Dumbledore holds his hands up, "Slow down, one question at a time. Alright, Hermione's first. All three of you are allowed to attend Hogwarts at the same time because of all the protective spells placed around it, and the fact that there are many skilled wizards and witches watching over you all the time. As for Harry's question, that is not mine to answer," he says sympathetically as he glances in the direction of the British flag flapping outside on the flagpole.

Harry looks utterly confused, "But…"

"No but's, that is not my question to answer. Now, are there any other questions?" Dumbledore asks

"Are we allowed to use magic Professor Dumbledore?" I ask cautiously

"Heavens! Moody didn't tell you that last night? Of course! This place is so isolated that it won't be a problem; however, if you have guests Miss Granger, there is to be no magic, just when it is you two or your parents. There will also be an Order member watching guard over this place constantly. If you need help, or have questions, send up red sparks and they will come, other than that they will leave you alone. Anything else?" he finishes looking intently at us.

"What do you believe Voldemort is after this year?" Harry asks

"You and your friends of course, and I will warn you ahead of time Harry. There is a big research project that you and you alone will need to do in the near future. You might as well get a head start. As you both know, Harry's mother's sacrifice protected him throughout all these years, and that was because of a blood link with is aunt. However, this will be nullified when you come of age next July, because you are considered old enough to take care of yourself. At that point it will be considered more of a 'good-luck charm' and will help you in sticky situations, but won't save your life directly anymore. The only way to really harness whatever power is left inside it is to find another weapon to combine it with. I will leave you to find to what that weapon is Harry." He says getting up from his chair slowly.

"Can't you give me any other clues?" Harry asks desperately

"What is the one thing that Voldemort does not understand in this world Harry? What is the one thing that you have a lot of?" he walks over towards the center of the room and prepares to leave.

"WAIT!" Harry shouts, and he runs upstairs and comes back holding a small bag of sorts.

He goes over to Dumbledore and whispers something in his ear, Dumbledore smiles and takes the bag from Harry, then he waves goodbye and with a crack of thunder, apparates out.

"What did you just tell him?" I ask suspiciously, trying to corner Harry.

"Nothing. You'll find out later." Harry taunts, "Now what was Dumbledore alluding to when he looked outside at the flagpole?" Harry asks.

I give a deep long sigh and flop down on the couch; all sorts of painful memories come flooding back to me. I knew this would come sooner or later. "Why don't sit down, it's a long and painful story." I say quietly.

He sits down beside me, concern written all over his face. That is what I love about Harry, he is so sensitive to others' needs.

"When I was born, the first face I remember seeing was that of an eleven-year-old boy. He was my older brother; my beloved older brother. We did everything together, he loved me and I loved him, I was his "Little Princess," and his love for me made all the teasing from my classmates tolerable because I had one friend who would never desert me. When I was six he went off to the British Royal Naval Academy down south (**A/N**: Invented this, not even sure if it exists), and he would send me weekly letters that helped me get through the teasing and cruel taunts of schoolmates. He graduated four years later with high honors, and entered the British Royal Navy as a pilot on one of their carriers. He did very well in the Navy, and we were all very proud of him. One stormy night though, weeks before I turned eleven a plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.

"The plane was my brother's and his body was barely found two days later. The investigation that followed his death chalked it up to stormy conditions which made some of his equipment malfunction. They returned his body to us, and he was buried with full military honors days before I left for Hogwarts. The flag flapping outside is the one we have flown every day since his death, the flag they presented us with in recognition for his service."

I look over at Harry's horrified face, "Why didn't you ever tell anyone?" he asks concerned.

"He was my brother, my protector, my best friend. I didn't trust you and Ron enough the first year, and afterwards it seemed too late to tell you, besides it is too painful, even now. That is why I was such a know-it-all and why I seemed to be so aloof, and also why it hurt so much when Ron said what he did. There was no big brother anymore." I finish looking down at my hands.

"Is that why you hate flying so much?" he asks

"Yes. Those planes killed my brother." I respond accusingly.

"I'm sorry, so sorry. I never knew; where did they bury him?" Harry asks

"At our request he was buried here on this property, overlooking the sea and sky he loved so much." I answer looking out at the flag flapping madly in the wind.

"May I see him? Or is it just a family thing?" Harry asks uncertain if he is intruding

I turn to face him, "Of course, you can, after all…you are so-so much like he was, so much like the brother I've lost. You're as good as family to me Harry, I just need to get some things and we'll go." I finish, and get up. Harry remains seated, his eyes following me upstairs, I can feel the pity and sympathy there, he has been through the same things I have, only three times over.

I run into my room and grab some white roses, and take my wand from my dresser. I bewitch them with a preservation spell and run back downstairs.

Harry has moved to the door and he is watching me again, but says nothing.

"Do you have your wand?" I ask

"No, it's in my room. Why would I need it?" he says puzzled.

I look at him astonished, "First rule of wizarding Harry, never go anywhere without your wand, especially if we're being hunted by a dark wizard."

"But we're just walking outside." He counters

"Actually, it is a bit of a walk, and you never know when you're going to need it." I turn towards the stairs, "_Accio Harry's wand!"_ I say, and his wand comes flying downstairs into my hand.

"Here." I say handing it to him, "Now, let's go." I open the door and we walk outside, and down a small but well-trod path to a place that is both painful and yet very important to me at the same time.

Eventually, we end up walking through a forest and into a tiny clearing. In the center is a giant headstone made of gray granite and standing perpendicular to a long slab of matching stone that covers my brother's body. There is a small British flag on the left of the grave, signaling a veteran, on the right side there is a small granite urn with some withered flowers in it.

Harry stops at the edge of the clearing to allow me privacy, but I continue forward and kneel to replace the flowers with my roses that will last at least a week and a half before they too wilt. I kneel on top of the granite slab lying in the ground and trace my brother's gravestone.

_Ensign Geoffrey William Granger_

_Born: April 24, 1969_

_Died: August 24, 1991_

_Aged: Twenty-Two years_

_A pilot in the Royal Navy, lost at sea during a storm. Greatly loved and missed by his friends and family._

I have done this so many times, I could have walked this path and traced the stone blindfolded. Every time I do though, I seem to lose him all over again. This time, now that I have re-lived it aloud, the pain seems to be more intense.

"**_WHY!_**" I hear my anguished scream echo across the water and eventually get carried off by the wind. I pound my fists angrily on the slab, as if hoping I can awaken my brother from the dead. Then, I turn to Harry who has slowly walked over to my side, "However do you manage?" I ask, "You lost both your parents and your godfather. Three of the closest people to you in the world, yet you manage to carry on, how do you do it?" I ask somewhat jealous of him.

Harry kneels down beside me, and wraps his arms protectively around me, "You think I manage Hermione, everyone _thinks_ I manage, but that is only because I am very good at masking my feelings. You aren't there when I pound my pillow at night, when I cry out at the injustice of the world, you don't know when I break things on purpose out of anger because I think I'm the only one…There are times when I wonder if I should ever love again because everyone I loved I've lost." He says staring into my eyes.

"You don't truly mean that?" I ask, something inside me objecting to that statement.

"Hermione, I'm sorry-I just can't talk about this right now. It's too recent." Harry responds letting of me and walking over towards the edge of the clearing to look out over the sea.

I fight the urge to demand he tell me, I told him my secret. However, I told him my secret years too late-and this is only a few months for him. I of all people should understand that. My heart felt like it was breaking at that moment-breaking for the loss of my brother-and now for the loss of Harry. He was standing a few feet from me, yet he was millions of miles away buried in a world of grief which he is still in denial about. A world I understood to a degree, but he was buried three times deeper than I was. "We should go." I say softly brushing away a silent tear.

I stand up, and wait for him. He looks over at me, "If you don't mind, I'll be over in a minute."

I nod somewhat confused, and back off a little. What would he want with my brother?

He kneels down to finger the flag resting by the grave, and then he too traces the name. I am surprised to hear him whisper softly, "Geoffrey, I'm sorry you never got to see what a fine young woman your sister has become. She misses you a lot you know, and I know that I'll never take your place. However, I solemnly swear that as long as I live, I will never let any harm willingly befall your sister. This do I, Harry James Potter solemnly swear."

I stare at him, utterly surprised at his oath, but definitely with unreasonable joy as well, but then Harry gets up, and I quickly look away. I don't want him to know that I just heard that. He stands up, and then the two of us silently start our trek back to the house.

**A/N**: Thank you for all of you wonderful reviewers!

**tiapotter16**: I suppose it is a little unrealistic when it comes to all the OWLS I gave Harry, but he has to be good to get HeadBoy, not to mention look at who his friends are…

As for the History exam, I have only read each HP book once and I do not own them, so I am no expert. In fact my sis and I aren't even allowed to read/watch them because my mom thinks we'll become witches if we do. (Don't ask it's very complicated.) So I am going by memory, sorry if I make mistakes.

Also, I believe that I answered the Ron question adequately in this chapter, if you have any other questions, please ask. :)

**LuvFantasy**: I should hope so you prat… :)

**FredWeasleyLover1126**: I realize that its' JKR's title, and my sis suggested changing it considering everything, and I might do that later, but I'm too lazy. All I'm saying is I have no intentions of stealing anything that belongs to JKR, I just borrow with every intention of returning….

By the way, guessing by your name you must like the twins, perhaps you'd like to read the story my sister LuvFantasy is writing about them…

**klen**: I was planning on explaining this later, but because it was asked earlier I might as well just tell you. Do to the issues with Umbridge during 5th year I decided to live under the illusion she abolished and seriously messed up the headboy/girl position to the Inquisitorial squad etc. So there was no headboy/girl selected for this year's graduating class and Harry and Hermione got it instead. After all, they are the only logical choices given the academic records. Hermione has no competition and Draco is the only rival for Harry.

Thanks for the reviews! Please keep them coming!


	4. Daydreams and Presents

Chapter 4-Daydreams and Presents

(Harry's POV)

By the time we returned to the house, Hermione seemed emotionally exhausted. I took my broom upstairs, and decided that my surprise could wait for another time.

I took the opportunity to try to comprehend why I swore to her brother that I was going to protect her for him.

It must have something to do with the Department of Mysteries from last year. Ever since Hermione nearly died, and Sirius disappeared, I looked at life very differently; more specifically I looked at Hermione differently.

Very few people in this world have thought that they were responsible for their best friend's death, and then discover that she's not dead. Believe me, it is an emotional roller coaster that nearly cost me my own life. Had it not been for Neville, I probably would have.

I lost my head, my senses, my brain was reeling and my heart was pounding, I couldn't even see straight. Then to my ultimate relief, Neville announced she was still alive, my head swam. It took me awhile to recover from that, and then minutes later I lost Sirius.

It was probably one of the worst days of my life.

To a degree, even today, months later I have not recovered. I value life a lot more, and I catch myself becoming possessive of Hermione, which is likely because I came so close to losing her, and I lost Sirius. I didn't trust her with anyone else anymore, not even Ron.

Because somewhere in my heart I know that I'm the one who puts my friends in danger, and ironically, I'm also the only one who can save them.

"HARRY! Did you get lost up there?" Hermione shouts from the bottom of the stairs, breaking through my thoughts.

"No, I'm coming." I shout back as I grab my wand and shove it into my pocket, not wanting a scolding again.

I rush down the stairs again, but this time I look for Crookshanks before I jump off the stair, seeing no possessed feline, I jump and land with a big thump on the floor.

"What took you so long?" she teases "Were you talking to your broom?"

"Actually, I was talking to myself in my head. Remembering things and wondering why I do what I do." I respond in a similar tone.

She tilts her head in the way that makes me lose my control of the situation, "I can tell you why you act the way you act the way you do. It's because you are Harry Potter, and Harry Potter does things his way, and heaven help those who get in his path." She answers with a little laugh, and then sits down patting the couch beside her, "Sit down you silly, I don't bite."

I continue to watch her mesmerized, not hearing what she just said, finally she brings up her shining brown eyes to meet mine, "Earth to Harry, are you awake? I asked you to sit down…or are you really afraid that I bite?" she teases again.

"Oh! I'm sorry, just lost in my thoughts again." I say sliding in next to her, which could prove disastrous considering the mood I'm in.

"Poor little Harry! He keeps getting lost inside his head, maybe he needs some help finding his way out again." She jokes

"So what are we going to do now?" I ask, grasping at the first safe topic that comes to mind.

"Well, since your previous idea got us into a very sticky situation with the Headmaster, I think it's my turn to suggest something." Hermione answers

"Hermione, Dumbledore didn't even seem to care. Besides, it's not like he's Snape or something and is going to accidentally 'leak' it to someone like Draco." I counter

She leans in, her eyes sparkling like they always do when she's arguing or debating, her hair falls from behind her ears into her face, and she holds my eyes with a gaze that won't let go.

"Harry, Dumbledore had a mischievous look in his eye, just like you did before you got us into this whole mess." She finishes with a smirk that dares me to argue.

"Well, what's the worst he can do?" I decide to ask

"Tell Fred and George." She answers promptly.

"Now why would he do that?" I ask, knowing very well what her answer will be.

"Well, let's think," she says as if explaining it to a baby, "Fred and George are the best pranksters Hogwarts has ever known, aside from your father and his friends. They are superb at making jokes, and excellent at poking fun at people. Just imagine what they would do with such valuable information." She finishes exasperated.

"Alright, so you win, but at least it's not Snape." I give in

"What do you have against Snape?" Hermione asks in an annoyed tone.

"Why do you defend someone who clearly hates me?" I counter, leaning in as if to get my point across.

"Harry, if he hated you, why does he always end up saving your life and ours on numerous occasions? Why is he always there when we think we've lost, but he saves everything in the end? He's loyal Harry, to our cause and to you, and he expects more out of you because of who you are. You are the son of two of the most intelligent and famous Hogwarts graduates in centuries, not to mention you have powers that nobody, not even your parents had." She looks intently at me, as if she was trying to gauge my reaction.

"You mean like Parseltongue?" I ask

"Well that is one of many. For instance you are the only third year student, for that matter, the only student who can conjure a _Patronus_ under a dementor's influence. There are many witches and wizards who can't even do that. You also have extreme courage under desperate circumstances; you are intensely loyal to your friends and family, and think well under pressure-"

I interrupt her, "Hermione, there is not a single living person that has confronted Voldemort with me and lived, unless you count Dumbledore last year. Nobody really knows what I did; they just take my word for it. I'm not denying I've beaten him before, but I'm not as great as you make me out to be. The problem is that when someone I love deeply is injured or dead, I don't think clearly. I just react; you weren't there when I tried to use the _crucius_ curse on Bellatrix last year after she killed Sirius. Nor were you-" I stop short of what I was going to say.

"Wait a minute," she says confusion written all over her face, "What do you mean you tried using the forbidden _crucius_ curse? And what did you stop saying?"

"The curse didn't work, because according to Bellatrix, my anger was righteous and it didn't work well enough. You have to be downright evil to get it to work right. You have to want to cause pain, **_real_** pain. As for the other, well I thought I had something else to say but I didn't.

"You see, that night, I lost someone very close to me-and one top of everything else-well I just couldn't take it. When you go through something like that, it changes your whole outlook on life, and your opinion of the person who died, and the-I changed a lot that night Hermione; I'm not the same person. Until that night, I had been acting under my boyish dream of defeating Voldemort for revenge of my parents' deaths. When I realized my folly had nearly killed all of you, it hit home, this is a real war and people can die. The good side doesn't always win; we can lose people too, not just my parents. I grew up that night, I learned life is precious and must be treated so.

"So now I want to vanquish Voldemort not just because he deprived me of my parents and Sirius, but because he's killing innocents, especially muggles who have no way of defending themselves…Did you understand what I meant at all, or am I just rambling?" I ask her uncertainly

She covers her face with her hands for awhile, and then drags them off slowly, trying to find something to say to me. She looks out the window at the flag flying proudly in the breeze, and then she finally meets my eyes with a sad gaze, yet there is also some suspicion there, she knows me well enough to know I'm hiding something. "I understand Harry, but I had no idea that any of this occurred. I didn't know you felt this way, and I'm sorry if I don't have a reaction or comment for you, but it's a lot to swallow. I don't mean I don't believe you, but I need to think on it, I hope you realize that I will always be around to talk when you want to Harry. I'll always be there for you-because I know what it feels like." She gets up, avoiding my eyes again, "Now, what was that?" she asks and I hear a crash in the kitchen.

We both run into the kitchen and see a large owl carrying a long, clunky package; the problem is though, that the owl seemed to have smacked into the mirror across from the window it came through, and now it was lying on the floor unconscious.

"Oh dear!" Hermione exclaims rushing over to the bird and undoing the package which she shoved at me, she whipped out her wand, "_Recupero!_" she says pointing it at the owl.

It flutters its eyes open and hoots softly, from its position in Hermione's arms.

"Wow! Where did you learn that spell?" I respond amazed

"A book you wouldn't know the name of." She responds distracted with the owl as she inspects its feet.

After a few minutes of inspection, Hermione determined that the owl was fit for flying again, and after feeding it a dead mouse from her freezer she sent it on its way.

"Why are there dead mice in your freezer?" I ask, semi-disgusted.

"To feed the messenger owls, you have no idea how poorly fed many of them are. Did you know that there are many forms of injustice in the wizarding world? For instance messenger owls are worked all the way up until they die; there are few owners that think of giving them retirement after they get old. And then of course, there are the house elves…" her voice drifts on, and I'm not listening, my eyes are locked on hers' and I feel as if I'm drowning inside their chocolate-brown depths.

"Harry! Did you hear a word of what I just said?" Hermione interrupts me for the second time today.

"What! Huh? What did you ask me?" I ask her, shaking my head and finally blinking, not succeeding in regaining my thoughts, which are still on her, I hit the back of my head so hard I cause a momentary black flash. It works satisfactorily however, and I look at her with a sheepish smile.

"I asked if you heard word of what I'd just said? By the way what were you doing that for?" she finishes, looking very confused.

"Oh, it's nothing; I was just tired and trying to wake myself up. You know, I haven't gotten a lot of sleep these last few days." I lie

"Are you really that tired?" she queries, it must be noted though, that she looked slightly suspicious of my answer.

"Yes, but the problem is I hardly ever fall asleep during the day, I just lose focus."

"Well, I have something that might wake you up, but first, who was this package addressed to?" she asks pointing to the large package I had forgotten I was holding.

"Oh." I say, and I look around the crinkled brown wrapping for the addressee, eventually I spot it near one of the ends. "Miss Hermione Granger 8 Otter Avenue, Newbiggin-By-the-Sea, UK." I read, "Here." I answer handing her the package, knowing very well what it is, and turning very red because of it.

"I wonder what it is, hardly anyone sends me packages, and when they do, they are usually books, and this clearly is not a book." She says looking up and down the long and awkward yet thin package.

"Well open it." I say quietly, looking at my feet embarrassed.

"Did you say something?" she asks with an inquisitive look in my direction.

"No." I lie again embarrassed, still gazing at my absolutely _fascinating_ feet.

She seemed to take the hint though, and ripped open the paper to reveal a long, sleek and shiny carven wooden handle, and once the entire packing was removed, she realized it was a broom. This wasn't just any broom though, it was a firebolt, just as fine as the one I owned, except newer.

"Who would send me such a nice broom?" she wondered aloud.

"Maybe they sent a card." I suggest.

"Silly me! Here it is:

'_Hermione-_

_Try giving flying a second chance like you did with me. Who knows? You just might like it!_

_Harry'_

Harry! This is wonderful, but why? I don't mean to be ungrateful, but I haven't used a broom since Madame Hooch's lesson first year."

"You gave me a second chance on Halloween first year; maybe you should give flying a second chance too. It really is a lot of fun, and there _are_ a few positions open on the Quidditch team this year."

"I should've known, you're trying to recruit me for the team." She says with a laugh.

"No, that depends on if you like flying or not, if you want to play Quidditch, and how well you do." I respond. "I just was hoping it would come a little later, because it's too late to start practicing flying now."

"Well, we'll start tomorrow." She says sitting down on the couch, and admiring her new broom.

Suddenly she jumps up again, "I almost forgot. Wait a minute." She says giving me her broom to hold and rushing upstairs.

She returns seconds later with a small package wrapped in brown newspaper.

"Here. It's your birthday present." She says handing it to me.

I take it from her and eagerly rip off the brown paper to find a small black box labeled, "Golden Snitch Quidditch Supplies."

Upon opening it I found a layer of black velvet which I removed, and beneath it was something I knew very well. A walnut-sized golden ball with feathery wings. It had my name engraved on it. "It's the fastest snitch they had Harry, I hope you like it." She says uncertainly, "I also had your name engraved on it in case you lose it."

"It's wonderful Hermione, I'm glad you got it. I'm just afraid of how much it cost."

"I can assure you it cost less than that broom did." She says pointing to the firebolt. "Besides, money shouldn't be an issue between friends. It's not like I'm lacking it or anything, I mean my parents have two homes Harry."

"Thanks again, this is great." I answer slightly embarrassed at my lack of eloquence.

After some tries at catching it, and it WAS just as fast as she said it was. Hermione began to ask me about brooms and Quidditch which, needless to say, kept us both busy for hours later.

A/N: Sorry, for the lack of update I was away at camp. Anyways, this story is going to continue the way I planned it despite HBP interference. However, I will re-name it as you will notice. Therefore, this story will include both 6th and 7th years.


	5. Flying Practice

**Chapter 5-Flying Practice**

_(Hermione's POV)_

Time always seems to fly when you're having fun, and it always seemed to fly faster than a snitch when I was with Harry.

It was already the following morning. My parents had come and gone again, Harry and I had just finished breakfast. Now, we were standing outside in the wind with our brooms and Harry was trying to say something, but it was too windy to hear him.

I had tried tying my hair back because I was afraid of it getting in my face, but it was so windy that it blew it right back out of the pony-tail.

If it was this windy, it might be difficult to fly, at least for me anyway, Harry's flown with everything from dementors to thunderstorms.

"You know, it's so windy Harry, I can't hear you very well, and it might be dangerous to fly." I shout at him

He stops mid-sentence, "Hermione, if you can fly in this weather, you can fly pretty well. Let's at least give it a shot." He shouts back over the wind.

He comes over to me so I can hear him better, "Now, put your broom on the ground carefully." He says demonstrating while setting his down softly. I follow his lead, "Then say 'UP!' with a forceful tone after placing your hand over the broom, but not too forcefully. Riding a broom they say is like riding a horse."

Of course the second Harry said, "UP!" his broom flew to his hand like a magnet.

I was still very nervous about this, even though Harry had said it was like riding a horse I did not see any similarities. I mean one had four legs, and the other had none.

Nevertheless, I did give it a try, more than one try. After about fifteen fruitless minutes of trying to make my broom obey me I was on the verge of giving up.

Harry pleaded for one last try however, and I saw he really wanted me to, so I tried one more time, "UP!" I commanded, and the broom flew up so fast I almost dropped it.

A broad smile appears on Harry's face as he claps for me, and I blush furiously. "Great, now just try mounting it like a horse. You have ridden horses correct?" he asks

"Yes, plenty of times." I answer glad that the wind had finally died down.

I can tell Harry is impatient to get on his own broom and chase his new snitch, but he is restraining himself to help me, which I admire. I mount the broom as instructed. Harry checks my stance and okays it, "Now give a slight kick off the ground, remember not to end up like Neville." He says

I do so, but the firebolt shoots way far up into the air, and frightened, I push the handle out to the left by accident, the broom follows the instruction a little too well, and I end up doing a three-sixty. It isn't long before I lose control of the broom; it is too fast for me.

Suddenly, I feel a heavy weight on the back of my broom and turn around scared of a dementor or something.

It was only Harry's arm though, trying to create some sort of ballast to slow me down. "Hold your broom straight Hermione! Don't swerve the handle in any direction, and I'll get you down." He shouts above the wind which has started up again.

"Easier said than done!" I shout back. Nevertheless, I lock my elbows in place, hoping that will prevent the broom from swerving.

Harry meanwhile, was inching his arm up the broom while still controlling his. I will never cease to admire his grace with broomsticks. It seems like forever as Harry continues moving his hand carefully upwards, eventually he reaches my body and lets go for a split second, and I think I'm going to crash without him. Then he grips it tightly further up, and pulls it hard towards our left, while pushing his own in the same direction.

We descend from the clouds with terrifying speed, and the thought crosses my mind that Harry can't control two brooms at once. At the last second he jerks both brooms up, and we land in one piece. After my ordeal though, I ended up falling off the broom. Harry dismounts properly and helps me up.

"Are you okay?" he asks concerned, "I suppose it was a mistake to start you on something so fast."

"I'll be fine in a few moments when I catch my breath." I gasp

We sit down, "I'd forgotten, first time rides on a firebolt can be terrifying." He says holding the snitch tightly in his hand, its wings fluttering with futile effort to escape him.

"If you're going to be alright, may I go chase this for awhile?" he asks with a pleading face.

"Of course, I'll watch you from down here. Maybe I'll learn a few of your tricks. Just stay in my sight okay?"

"Sure." He smiles and releases his snitch, "I'm giving you a minute's head start buddy, make good use of it." He shouts after the funny little golden ball before it disappears.

I watch him mount his broom with his catlike grace, and before I know what's happened, he's up in the air. He holds the broom in place momentarily to wave to me before zooming off. He moves so fast that I can hardly keep track of him.

He takes a sudden dive, and I fear that he's going to crash into the house, then at the last second he pulls up, and he reaches his arm out. I squint for the snitch, but he's too far away for me to see it.

Then he retracts his arm, and shakes his head as a gust of wind blows the snitch out of his reach. I watch the little golden ball as it struggles feebly against the wind currant which is carrying it towards me.

Harry is right on its heels though, and passes me in a flash and breeze left behind him. The snitch which is nearly out of my sight makes a dive down the cliff face towards the ocean, and I catch my breath as Harry follows it.

I run over to the cliff face and see Harry zooming within inches of the water-face creating wake behind him, even though he's not actually touching the water.

I shudder as he ducks a seagull heading in his direction. The seagull looks pretty surprised to see such a spectacle, but Harry is closing in on the snitch again. When suddenly Harry dives underwater. I let out an involuntary scream and rush down a side of the cliff that isn't so steep.

Yards away from his original location of disappearance Harry reappears sopping wet hovering inches above the water, and triumphantly holding up his snitch with a his characteristic big grin plastered on his face.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" I scream over the water at him, "YOU HAVE NO IDEA THE OF THE SCARE YOU JUST GAVE ME!" He swoops in towards me, and I try to jump out of his way, but he grabs me by my sweatshirt and dumps me on his broom in front of him.

"So I scared you huh?" he asks from behind me, I can feel his wet clothing behind me, and I wonder that he isn't freezing cold flying at this speed in wet clothing. I look back at him; he's still grinning, water droplets on his glasses.

"Where's the snitch?" I ask changing the subject.

"In my pocket, where else would it be?" he asks with a laugh.

"So, what do you say I show you what flying is really like?" he queries

I turn around to look at him again, and he's got that dangerous glint in his eyes like he did when he decided to tickle me.

"Seeing as I'm captive, I have little choice." I respond grudgingly.

"Oh come on! It'll be wicked!" he returns, and we start speeding up as we head out towards the ocean. The wind is whipping at my face, and I hate to imagine what it's doing to poor Harry who's behind me.

I can see for miles around, the bay area and the forest where my brother is buried. My house looks so tiny from where we're whizzing around up here. We sit there completely still for a minute.

Harry tightens his grip around the front of his broom, and I can feel his arms wrapped around me. I get the feeling that it would be a lot colder if he wasn't holding me.

"It's beautiful up here isn't it?" he says softly

"Yeah, that's why my parents picked this place."

"Yes, it really is a beautiful place you've got Hermione, especially for dives." He answers in a dangerous tone.

"Oh no you don't!" I scream, and by the time I've finished my sentence we're already in a nosedive straight for the ocean surface.

"Oh yes we do!" Harry shouts back.

"Harry! Hitting the surface of the ocean at this speed from such a great height will definitely knock us out if not kill us both!" I say worriedly.

The wind is whirling around us, and the ocean is getting closer and closer.

Harry, as usual pulls up in the nick of time, and now we zoom off towards the forest. "You see Hermione; you spend too much time in your books reading about facts when you should gain some experiences. Like this one, I'll wager I've completely changed your thoughts on flying."

"You've most certainly done that, **_and if you don't watch out we're going to smack into that tree_**!" I finish screaming in an alarmed voice.

He swerves to the left, and we enter a maze of trees which he starts to dodge left and right, not to mention the branches.

"You need to learn to let go Hermione, take life at a slower pace. Let tomorrow worry about itself. Relax and live a little. That's why I like flying so much; it takes everything else off my mind. If you learn to fly properly too, it will do the same for you. Flying is freedom Hermione, freedom from pressures like teachers, books, family and sometimes darker things."

I am trying to register what Harry's saying, but I simply cannot fathom how he can talk so calmly while still dodging out of life at death situations at high speeds. Also because he still hasn't admitted Sirius is dead-he hasn't opened himself up to anyone. It seems almost hypocritical to me, but I remind myself I cannot judge him as I have never experienced the same level of pain he has.

Finally, we reach the end of the forest and Harry places his right arm over mine to move it forward, "Now, I'm going to teach you some basic moves." He says with complete faith in me, and for the moment all that is on my mind is steering this broom safely.

I wish I had as much faith in myself as he does! We slow our speed by stroking the broom slowly downward, "That is very important, especially when your broom gets out of control. To speed it up you tighten your grip as hard as you can." Harry commented.

Next he teaches me to avoid obstacles by steering the broom into the opposite direction. I learn to pull the broom up slowly, because the first time I nearly ended up knocking him off. Then the thing I dreaded the most, he taught me how to dive.

And it really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It was actually kind of fun. Then Harry speaks into my ear, "Now round the house on the left with some speed and then pull the broom slightly upwards to land. Be careful to avoid anything in the way."

I round the house as instructed, only to see my parents' car coming in the driveway, and I begin to falter. "You can do it Hermione; you've always said you wanted to show your parents some magic. Show them you learned to fly on the first day. I have faith in you."

I leaned back a little, probably because I was scared. Then Harry really frightened me by removing his hands completely from the broom. I nearly panicked, but then I realized what he was doing-he was forcing me to control the broom in front of my parents.

I determined I wouldn't let him down. And did exactly what he had said earlier perfectly. The first time I'd ever done anything concerning a broom without flaw.

We dismounted, and Harry took his broom, "Bravo Hermione!" I hear my father shout as he and my mother dash out of the car to congratulate me. "Great job sweetie!" my mother says embracing me.

Then she removes her arms with some concern, "Why is your back all wet?" she asks

I look at Harry, and so do they. "That would be because Harry decided to try and catch his new snitch _underwater_." I say teasingly.

"**_UNDERWATER?"_** my parents say in union.

"Well, yeah, it's really nothing though." Harry says blushing. "I think Hermione did something far better; she learned to fly a broom on her first day. Not many people can do that." He says trying to shift the attention.

"What were you two thinking flying around at all speeds with sopping wet clothes! You'll both catch pneumonia!" my mother scolds.

I whip out my wand, "_SALVUM_!" I say pointing at Harry. "_Scorgify_!" I finish. His clothes dry instantly, and then they quickly clean themselves.

My parents look on bug-eyed. "I thought you couldn't use magic or you'd be kicked out of Hogwarts." My father says stupefied.

"This year is different, Dumbledore says so." I answer

"Well why didn't you say so earlier. I could've used some help with the laundry last night." My mother jokes

They go inside but I go to grab my broom, and I also clean my own salty clothing too while I'm outside.

I'm met at the door by Harry, "You did a really great job out there Mione. I just wanted to tell you that." He says holding open the door.

"Thanks." I say blushing for some unknown reason.

We walk into the living room where my parents have sat down on their favorite chairs, and they inundate us with questions about brooms, flying and Quidditch.

**A/N**: Sorry again, for lack of updates, but I'm in the middle of a vacation break which means I just came back only to leave again. I will update soon after my return hopefully, and maybe I'll have some review reactions.

Until then, review please!


	6. Old Patronuses and Other Things

**Chapter 6-Old Patronuses and other Important Things**

_(Harry's POV)_

After we finish dinner and migrate back to the living room, and the Quidditch questions die down, Hermione's dad brings up the question I'd been waiting for.

"So, Hermione tells me that you can do something most wizards and witches can't do-you can conjure a patronus under a dementor's influence."

"Yes, but a patronus is a very personal thing for a wizard. Each one is different, no living person has the same patronus as another, and they tend to have meanings for that particular person." I respond, as I was becoming somewhat possessive of mine after having been asked to show it so many times.

"Oh." He responds in a somewhat disappointed voice.

Hermione nudges me, and I look over to her. Her eyes seem to plead with me to show her father. And I remember how fascinated he seemed by the boggart-banishing a few nights back.

"However, I will show you my patronus, if Hermione will show you hers." I finish standing up abruptly.

I have the satisfaction of seeing both parents' faces light up. "Hermione dear, you didn't tell us you could make a patronus." Her mother says excitedly

"Well that's because Harry only taught me last year, and I'm still not sure I can conjure it with a dementor around." She says taken off her guard.

"Well, a little practice won't hurt." I say grabbing her hand and helping her off the couch.

I take out my wand, and she removes hers. "On the count of three Hermione, and remember-happy memory-a very happy memory." I instruct. "One, two three." I thought to bring to memory the time I entered Hogwarts, but instead the Department of Mysteries pops into my head. I hear Neville saying Hermione lives, and relive the adrenaline rush I got in response. All the blood goes to my head, and I get dizzy, but I still shout out "_EXPECTO PATRONUM!_" and a silvery stag shoots out of my wand.

I was so puzzled by that last memory that I barely hear Hermione saying "Look! Look Harry! Our patronuses seem to recognize each other! Why do they recognize each other Harry?" I look briefly at her, and then turn to the patronuses who seem to be sniffing each other, then Hermione's otter leaps onto my stag's back and they prance around the room together.

I am completely confounded until I remember reading about my family's history in one of the books Hermione lent me. It was titled _"All the Great Wizarding Families and Their Facts."_ My father's patronus, oddly enough had been a stag-and my mother's-

"Hermione, you have never had a wizard or witch in your family before?" I ask suddenly.

"No, but what has that got to do with anything?" she asks confused.

"Hermione, my mother was muggle-born too. That book you lent me on wizarding families. Did you read my family's stats?" I ask

"Yes."

"What is the symbol of muggle-born witches and wizards? What was my mother's patronus Hermione?" I inquire quickly.

"The otter." She responds, the answer dawning on her, and we all turn to look at the patronuses still gamboling around the room. Hermione and I turn towards each other, "My otter thinks it is Lily's and your stag thinks it is still James's, and of course, they would still love each other." She says her face lit up with the comprehension that she gets when she understands a complicated problem.

"Harry, what do you think this means?" she asks in a wondering tone facing the patronuses again.

"I don't know Hermione, but whatever it is-it is something very important." I say staring in wonder at the patronuses myself.

After awhile, we managed to restrain the patronuses and force them back into our wands (which was by no means an easy feat!), Hermione and I felt terrible doing it, but we couldn't let them wander about all night (and cause trouble knowing my father). By that time it was nearly bedtime, and Mrs. Granger suggested going to sleep earlier considering all the broom riding we'd been doing. "Besides, we're going to take you to Diagon Alley tomorrow to get your new school supplies."

"But I don't remember our lists coming in." Hermione says

"Well, you were probably so busy flying that you weren't noticing any owls that came in." Dr. Granger responds with a laugh.

"But that means they didn't get their mice!" Hermione says with a concerned tone rushing towards her freezer were all those corpses were located.

"Hermione, it's alright, it was only two owls, you got the rest." I say, but she wasn't listening.

"Hermione! I thought I told you no dead OR live mice in the freezer!" Mrs. Granger reprimands, and when she sees all the bodies in an icebox she shrieks. "Get rid of them now!"

Dr. Granger laughs, "Helen dear, it's for the hungry owls, you always taught Hermione to be kind to everything."

"Not when it comes at risk to our health!" Mrs. Granger says irritated.

"Hermione just put them in the icebox down in the cellar." Dr. Granger says with a sigh

"You are abetting her disobedience Harold!" Mrs. Granger says annoyed

"I am merely helping feed hungry owls Helen." He laughs.

Hermione meanwhile has been taking frozen mouse corpses out of the freezer and dumping them in a small nearby box which she shoves at me to hold.

After ten minutes, we have managed to dispose of the dead rodents into the cellar. Personally, I never considered myself queasy or anything, but I do not have a particular fondness for any rodent-dead or alive-after Peter Pettigrew. I was glad to be rid of the disgusting creatures.

Just as we were making our way upstairs, there was a crack of thunder and the house shook, Hermione who had been on the stair behind me grabbed my elbow; I subconsciously placed my arms around her to shield her from this unseen danger.

There was no need for our fear though, as Professor Dumbledore had just apparated into the middle of the living room floor. He was stroking his beard and seemed to be in deep thought. Everyone's eyes were on him needless to say, Hermione's father had surfaced from his cellar, and her mother appeared from the kitchen with a plate in hand.

Suddenly, Dumbledore stops stroking his beard and looks in our direction; he points to me and beckons me forward.

I slowly walk down the stairs and towards him, trying to comprehend what he wanted to say this time. What had he left out before? I didn't understand.

He sits down on the couch and motions for me to do the same. Then he looks up, as if just realizing the others are there. "If you don't mind." He says calmly, as if he has no qualms about commandeering the Granger's living room for an unspecified period of time.

Hermione and her parents clear out without a noise, but I can't help but wonder if they (particularly Hermione) are only just out of sight.

Dumbledore takes a deep sigh, "Harry," he begins "I am offering you something against my better judgment. Well, two things. First is only if you want it, the other is because I feel I owe it to you." He sighs again and stares at the fire for a bit then begins again, "I felt very badly about not giving you a prefect's position last year especially considering you have done more to earn it than Ron. So I spoke to all the teachers and we have come to a decision. We are installing a new position in each house-one person per house that is. And to obtain this position you have to have done something remarkable. Basically, the Captaincy of Prefects-or just plain Captain, means you are in charge of all the prefects for your house and you answer to the Head Boy and Girl. Usually, the Head students aren't also Captain of their House, but considering our unusual circumstances that is allowed for you. In effect you will answer to yourself and Hermione and the same for her even though she will not be Captain. You will have the same duties as the other prefects, and you will also have the Head Boy's duties as well on top of the fact I have just been notified that you are Captain of the Quidditch team. Do you think you can handle all of this responsibility?"

I pause for awhile to think, "Who else is getting Captaincy for the other houses?"

"The Hufflepuffs Captain will be Justin Flitchy-Fletchey. The Ravenclaws will have Luna Lovegood. The Slytherins will have Draco Malfoy who will vacate his other prefect position." Dumbledore says calmly.

"DRACO MALFOY!" I exclaim, "Why Draco?"

"That is not for you to know at this time Harry." He answers sedately.

I was upset he didn't trust me; I'm old enough to be trusted! I'm sixteen this year! Nevertheless, I do not voice my thoughts. "Who will take the Captaincy if I decline it? Or will you just disband the captaincy idea altogether?"

"Well, the school is growing-so despite the fact we will be disappointed you didn't take it-we won't abolish it. Our second choice is Neville Longbottom, however, you are not tell him."

I was about to ask 'Why Neville?' too, but then I remembered how much he improved last year-and how he kept his head in the Department of Mysteries when I couldn't. I sigh as well, "I will think about it and let you know soon Professor." I say not meeting his eyes.

"Very well, but I will need to know by the end of the week. Now, the next matter is something I neglected to tell you last year because I wasn't sure if you could handle it at the time-or even if you were mature enough. It is simply this." He says pulling out a scrap of paper, "It will self-destruct after you finish reading it, so I suggest you memorize it." He hands the small sheet of parchment to me.

I begin to read its familiar handwriting:

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches_

_Born to those who have thrice defied him, Born as the seventh month dies_

_And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal,_

_But he will have powers the Dark Lord knows not_

_And either must die at the hand of the other_

_For neither can live while the other survives_

_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…_

_His power will be more potent than any other force known_

_It will flow through his veins like blood, for it is the essence of true life._

_He will need aide in discovering and using this power and he must ask those whom he loves._

_One whom he loves will have the answer to the power to vanquish the Dark Lord."_

"Whatever does this mean?" I ask thoroughly confused.

"No one person can defeat all of Voldemort's hatred and anger by himself or herself-not even you. Someone whom you know and love dearly will be able to help you harness your powers. The question is who it is, and do they know what it is that must be used. I really cannot give you anymore information, because it is something you alone must discover…And now I should take my leave." He finishes and disappears instantly with a thunderous sound.

I stumble upstairs with a thoroughly confused mind. Just when I thought I had discovered what the meaning of everything was, it is turned upside-down. I thought my power over Voldemort was my ability to read his thoughts, but obviously now it wasn't. I should have realized this before, because Voldemort knew I was reading him-and that is why he lured me to the Ministry of Magic last year.

As soon as I reach the top of the stairs a searing pain erupts from my scar, I scream and cover the offending area with my hands in an attempt to make it go away while I fall to the floor.

Hermione throws open her door and rushes forward, "What is it Harry? Is it your scar again?" she inquires with concern as she kneels down to help me up.

The pain is so intense, so over-powering that I can scarcely think, let alone keep myself from writhing on the floor.

"HARRY!" I hear Hermione shout as the pain gets worse.

I see fleeting visions of her screaming in pain dressed in her Hogwarts robes while she lies on the floor, I see Draco Malfoy getting slapped very hard across the face, I see Lucius Malfoy in a fit of rage against someone, I see myself trying to disobey an _Imperius_ curse, and I see Voldemort cackling in the background.

Then, just as suddenly as it came, the pain stops and I finish screaming, to look up into the frightened eyes of the Granger family.

"I uhh….was just having a-I hit my head on the wall." I finish with a lie.

"Harry, that most certainly was not you hitting your head on the wall. You have a very high tolerance for pain-this-this was something downright evil, like the _Crucius _curse." Hermione answers with a firm tone

I take a deep sigh, "It was actually my scar again, it gets really bad these days." I respond almost casually as I try to ignore them and head towards my room.

Hermione stops me by getting in my way, "Did you see anything Harry? A vision perhaps?" Silence falls as I look at her absolutely terrified of telling her my visions.

"You don't have to hold back just because we're muggles." Hermione's father tries putting in encouragingly

"I-I saw nothing you-can't tell you." I respond uncertainly, my voice shaking with emotion-and I feel like I might cry and try to get away before that happens, but Hermione holds her ground.

"Harry, tell me. The last time you didn't there was big trouble." She commands.

"NO! You can't make me! I won't tell you! I won't let it happen! I hate myself!" I shout with anguish turning away from her to avoid her penetrating gaze.

"Harry, please tell me. It can't be that bad." Hermione says in a calming tone laying her hand on my shoulder.

"NO! It's a trick-another trick! That's what it is! He's trying to trick me again!" I shout in rage, and then turn towards the window as if it were Voldemort, "I WON'T LET YOU DO THIS! YOU'RE NOT TAKING AWAY EVERYTHING I CARE ABOUT!" I shout angrily shaking my fist at nothing.

"Harry, please…calm down." Hermione pleads

I turn back to them tears forming in my eyes, but not falling, "I saw pain and suffering, I think someone may…die." I choke on my last words.

"Who did you see?" her voice choking with emotion as well.

"I'm going to sleep." I respond in a tone that ends the conversation.

Hermione finally lets me pass. I walk by her in seeming slow motion, taking a long look at her before I enter my room and shut the door behind me. She will never know how much fear I felt with those visions. I lean against the door and break into silent sobs. My life is falling apart before my very eyes, and there is nothing I can do about it...

**A/N**: I'm back!

(Readers shudder due to lack of aforesaid author's lack of writing skills.)

Sorry for being so late, but my family's having some problems right now, which I'd rather not talk about…

So, read and review!


	7. Diagon Alley amongst other Things

**Chapter 7-Diagon Alley amongst other Things**

_(Hermione's POV)_

I watch as Harry stares at me the longest time before finally turning towards his door and shutting it behind him.

After the door is closed I hear whimpering, and a thump against it. Harry's crying and didn't want us to see. My heart felt like breaking all over again, He's pushing me away just when he needs his friends most.

I look over at my parents who are slightly puzzled, frightened and sympathetic all at once.

"Harry took Sirius's death pretty badly, and he won't talk to anyone about it." I respond in a hollow tone which I know my parents won't believe.

My father walks over towards me, "Hermione, we know he's having a very tough time with Sirius's death, but this incident does not stem from that. He said someone else would die, and they would be someone he cares deeply about. We're not completely inept when it comes to reading people, even wizards. He's blaming himself for all their deaths, and he feels he'll be responsible for the next one too."

"I know I'm just so worried about him Dad." I say as he places his arms around me

"Who do you think will die?" I ask them looking up at the two of them, my mother has tears in her eyes, and my father looks worried.

They are silent, and then finally my mother speaks, "Just be careful Hermione, be very careful. You and Harry are playing with fire and fire burns."

"In more ways than one Helen." My dad says morosely. I look from one to the other completely lost.

"Whatever do you mean?"

My mother comes over to clasp my hands, "Hermione, your friend Harry needs some time to adjust to things-once he has he'll talk to you. But consider every step you take very carefully, he will be very sensitive in the coming months-and he is a man. Men can hide their emotions very well-too well sometimes; don't play with his emotions girl. It's a dangerous game for you both."

I say goodnight to both of them, but their advice to me has left me more confused than when I asked for it. They turn to leave.

Once they're gone I walk over to Harry's door and press my body against it, closing my eyes as a tear falls silently down my cheek.

I have never considered myself much of a God person, but I prayed for Harry. _Oh God, if you really love everyone, why do you make his life so hard? Can't you give him a break for once? Why does he always have to save the world? Just this once God, please give Harry a break._

Eventually, I make my way to my own bed wondering at the cruelty of this world.

When I awake the next morning, it is to Harry shaking me. I am surprised to find he shows no recognition of last night's incident. But then my mum's words come floating back to my mind. _"But consider every step you take very carefully, he will be very sensitive in the coming months-and he is a man. Men can hide their emotions very well-too well sometimes; don't play with his emotions girl. It's a dangerous game for you both."_

"Come on Mione, we've got school supplies and books to shop for-your two favorite things in the world." He teases

"What time is it?" I respond groggily and half in amazement, since when is he EVER out of bed before me?

"Almost eight, but it's going to take all day according to your mother to shop even if we take the floo network, so we need to leave now." He says throwing open the windows to let the cool ocean breeze come in.

"Leave NOW! I haven't had breakfast, got changed or washed my face-taken a shower-"

"Come on Hermione, just _scorgify_ yourself or something if you're that worried, 'cause you look fine to me." He says with exasperation

"Harry, I don't think _scorgify_ was intended for humans." I protest finally getting out of bed albeit slowly.

"Well, I haven't taken a shower either, so let's find out." Harry finishes, and before I can stop him-he points his wand at himself. "_Scorgify!"_ he commands.

He runs his hand through his unkempt raven black hair. "Well, I guess it worked 'cause I'm not turning purple or anything. My hair feels cleaner too." He jokes with his classic smile.

"Still want to be cleaned up?" he queries

"Sure, why not. I'm too tired to stop you." I mumble groping around for my slippers.

He aims his wand and repeats the spell, and suddenly I feel much fresher-like I actually _had_ taken a shower and washed my face. "This still doesn't take care of breakfast Harry." I say in protest, amazed that I'm the one complaining about lack of food and not him.

"Oh that! We'll eat breakfast at Diagon Alley, your parents wanted to eat some 'magical' food, so I offered to take all of you out…" he pauses to look at me, "and don't you dare refuse, because if you do I'll force you to eat it. I'm not Head Boy for nothing." He finishes in a funny tone.

I shake my head; Harry can be one of the most stubborn people I know. "Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's go get some floo powder and go." I say impatiently grabbing my wand.

Harry makes a funny little noise and looks away. "What is it Harry?" I wonder

"You…uhh…aren't changed, and unless you're planning on going in your nightgown-well-I'd get changed if I were you." He responds with a semi-nervous tone.

"Oh…right." I finish, and decide I'm too lazy to actually dress myself. I think of my black pants and lavender sweater I want to wear beneath my Gryffindor robe. "_Portare!" _I command, pointing my wand at myself.

I looked down at myself, and I was dressed in the clothes I had just finished thinking of. "How difficult is that spell Hermione? You know the dressing spell, 'cause I get really lazy in the mornings sometimes and I'd rather not dress myself." Harry comments

"Fairly easy. Why don't you give it a try?"

He closes eyes momentarily, then opens them again, _"Portare!"_ he is instantly clothed with blue jeans and a green shirt.

"You forgot something," I tease and point my wand at him, _"Portare!"_ I command and his Hogwarts robe appears.

"Hermione! Harry! Are you two going to show us how to use this-this green dust or not?" my mum calls in a slightly disgusted tone. I can only imagine what she was thinking looking at it.

"Coming!" I call and the two of us dash downstairs practically tripping over each other.

I take a handful of floo powder, "Now, I've read that floo powder works for even muggles, however my preferred method-the portkey- does not. Floo powder is much dirtier, but we can clean ourselves so it doesn't really matter that much. Now, what you do is step inside the floo and drop the powder, then you must firmly and clearly state the destination you wish to go to. If you followed directions, you should arrive there within seconds, however you will probably be dirty. Our destination today is Diagon Alley."

"Thank you Tour Guide." Harry jokes and my parents laugh.

"Thank you for volunteering to go first." I retort handing him the bowl of floo powder.

He shrugs and grabs a handful, and then puts the bowl on the table before walking over to the fireplace.

He steps in and drops the powder, green flames burst from the hearth, "Diagon Alley." He says firmly and he is whisked away.

"Alright, who would like to go next?" I ask turning to them.

My mother looks very uncertainly between the powder bowl and the chimney.

"I'll go next." My father says eagerly grabbing a handful and walking over to the chimney where he has to stoop to fit in.

"Remember, CLEARLY." I remind him

He nods and drops the powder while he too is engulfed in green flame, "Diagon Alley." He disappears as well.

My mother looks very nervous, "Are you sure we can't just drive down to London?" she asks

"Mum, we are so far north in England we're practically in Scotland. To drive would take days, not to mention Harry and Dad would worry about us. Come on, it's not that bad other than the dirt." I say encouragingly

She sighs, "You have much more courage than I do Hermione dear." She takes a handful of powder and steps into the floo. "Diagon Alley." My mother disappears too.

I take the powder I've already got and follow them straight to Diagon Alley…

After the miniature green hurricane is finished transporting me to Diagon Alley, I find myself stepping out of the floo in what seems to be yet another Quidditch shop.

My mother is muttering to herself while dusting her clothes off, my friend and father are entranced with a book over in the corner. I notice Harry hasn't bothered to clean himself, let alone anyone else off with the _scorgify_ spell.

"HARRY!" I say reprimanding him. He and my dad turn from where they were absorbed with the book.

"Hermione, so you made it! I was just talking to your father about the various Quidditch positions-and how I think you'd make an excellent addition to our Gryffindor team." Harry exclaims excitedly, his eyes lit up with joy.

"Haven't you forgotten something?" I inquire

"Well I came to the right place, unlike last time, so I fail to see what I could've forgotten." He replies puzzled

"_Scorgify cuncti!" _I say waving my wand between the four of us. Immediately all trace of dirt disappears.

"How'd you do that?" Harry asks "I would have to have done it individually, but you did it all at once."

"Maybe if you actually read your books instead of relying on your photographic memory all the time, you would know a bit more." I retort

"Hermione, he was asking a simple question, you didn't need to snap at him." Dad reprimands.

"I'm sorry, just somewhat out of sorts today." I lie, but nobody seems to notice I was just making this up. _I had no reason to be angry, so why was I?_

"Well, let's go get breakfast." Harry says breaking the tension

We walk out of the store and down the street where my father continues to marvel at every witch or wizard we pass until my mother gets mortified. "Harold, our own daughter is a witch and her friends are wizards, get over it." She shoves him into the middle of our group and we continue down the street, and I notice Harry is trying to keep from laughing, somewhat unsuccessfully.

Finally we make our way into the nearest restaurant that is open and we sit down.

The food wasn't really that different, but that didn't stop my father from ogling first the menu and then the food itself.

My mother is becoming quickly exasperated with my father's childish behavior, and we manage to drag him out of the restaurant and down to Gringotts. I tried to ask Harry how much the meal was so I could pay part of it, but he refused to tell me. I did see him lay down a few galleons though, and I felt a pang of guilt. He's paying for everything!

We make our way down towards Gringotts, and my father, again, stands in awe of all the wizards and witches mulling around, not to mention the goblins.

Harry arranges for us to get a cart and after my parents have put more money into my account we set off to the vaults on the cart.

The goblin with us seems to be rather flattered at the fact that my father is asking him question after question about the bank, my mother looks like she might be sick because of the speed we're flying around at, Harry is ignoring everyone as he sits in the front seat the wind blowing in his face and he seems to be enjoying himself immensely. Probably thinking of his broom again! I on the other hand am trying to count as many turns as I can to see how far in we go to my vault.

"Miss Granger," the goblin begins, "we are approaching your vault, please get your key ready." The goblin says in a raspy voice.

I already had my key ready, but I drew it out and fingered it carefully, the golden gleam coming off it even in the dark. Then we suddenly screech to a halt. The goblin is saying something to my father, but I ignore them as I try to step over my mother and father to get out.

Harry, who is sitting on the edge directly in front of my father, offers me his hand and he helps me out.

We walk over to the vault, I insert the key and Harry waits expectantly.

I wait for him to leave. Finally he says, "Well aren't you going to open it?"

I look over at him like he's dense, but I can hardly see him in the dark damp cellar of Gringotts, except for the candle-light. "Harry, remember-it won't open without a password that other wizards aren't supposed to know."

"Sorry." He says backing off, and I turn back to the door.

"Harry Potter." I murmur, and Harry turns in my direction,

"Did you call me?" he asks

"No." I lie turning red, and thankful this candle doesn't seem to be bright enough for him to see.

My door swings open, revealing what I think is a fairly good amount of gold, I carefully count out the estimated amount I think I'll need for this year.

Harry helps me shut the heavy door and we get back into the cart.

"Do you have enough money for the year sweetie?" my mum asks me.

"Plenty mum." I respond, trying to comprehend why I made my password what I did.

I had changed it from _"Geoffrey Granger"_ to _"Harry Potter"_ after third year, and to this day-I really don't know why.

Before I could collect all my thoughts though, we reached Harry's vault.

Harry was about to get out, but the goblin stopped him, "Mr. Potter this is a notice from the bank about your account."

He takes the notice with a shaky hand, he knows what it is, and I do too.

He steps off the cart to read it in a better light, and I follow him, worried that he might do something drastic.

He rips open the letter, and scans it; it must have been short because he finishes it quickly. His countenance becomes stony as he walks over to the door; he jams the key in and whispers his password.

The door creaks open and we are all dazzled by the glittering of countless coins-the number of which has tripled since his last visit.

He takes a handful of coins from the original pile, it seemed like an attempt to avoid spending Sirius's money for fear it wasn't really his.

We turn to leave, and I stop him momentarily, "Harry, it's okay-he's dead-people die you have to admit it and move on." I say my voice quavering with emotion, despite my willing it not to.

"He's not dead Hermione, and I'm not going to spend any of that money, because it isn't mine to spend. He'll be back, just when we need him most he'll come and save the day." He responds with confidence, and walks straight past me to the cart.

We start the return journey and I watch as the vault doors fly by, not caring anymore how many turns we took; after all, it seemed so trivial when my best friend was sitting with me right now in one of the worst cases of denial I'd ever seen.

When we finally reach the big golden doors of Gringotts again, my mother speaks up.

"I need to do some shopping with Hermione alone, so why don't you and Harry go shopping for his things Harold? We can meet up in front of this bank at five o'clock in the evening."

"Alright, he was just going to tell me about the beaters when Hermione interrupted us." My Dad says eagerly grabbing hold of my friend's arm and dragging him out of the bank.

I caught hold of Harry's eyes just as he left, and there was an emotion there I couldn't place, but more frighteningly-there was fear there. "Hermione, be careful and don't…don't go anywhere you think is dangerous." He says before disappearing through the doors with my dad.

"What was that all about?" I ask turning to my mum.

"And you call yourself Head Girl of Hogwarts!" my mother exclaims, "Well, it looks like I have a good deal to tell you about."

We leave Gringotts and head in the opposite direction of Harry and my father.

"Let's get your books and supplies first." She says taking my hand as we walk through the crowded streets, and more than once have to dodge venders trying to sell us their goods.

We turn into _Flourish and Blotts_ and she takes out a list of books I have been assigned.

Mum looks around for a salesclerk, "Hello, could you help us find these books for my daughter, she needs them for Hogwarts."

"Certainly." The old man says taking the list from her, "Let's see now…_Apparating for Beginners by: Alastor Moody_." He absently turns towards a long shelf of books, and my mother follows in her no-nonsense way. I however, am entranced by the sight of so many wonderful texts. I scan them quickly, wishing I could buy them all, _Ancient Magick from China by: Ling Zhu_, _Famous Dark Wizards by: Alastor Moody_, _Why Magic Cats do what they Do by: Felix Birdbrain_, _Love Potions by: Madame Brutta_, _History of Brooms vs. Magic Carpets a Comparison and Contrast by: Fredrick Aerino_.

"Hermione! You're just as bad as your father!" my mother says taking hold of my wrist and making me follow her. The salesclerk is retrieving the last of my books, and mum lets me pick out a few extra. I take one on magic in Ancient Egypt because I find Egypt fascinating; I also buy the cat book to help me understand Crookshanks hopefully, as well as two additional books on apparating, one on animagi and the brooms and carpets book for Harry.

The salesclerk looks at my stack of books, "Are you sure you can handle all of this? I mean these books are pretty heavy reading." He says fingering the Egyptian magic book and squinting to see the print as he absently flips through.

"I love to read about anything and everything, that's why they made me Head Girl." I say feeling insulted that he believes me incapable of reading a mere 2,500 some odd pages on Egyptian magic.

"So Ravenclaw has finally claimed Head Girl again, you know they haven't had that honor since Lily Potter took it away from them-which is rather odd come to think of it." He continues rambling on.

"Excuse me sir, I'm not from Ravenclaw-I'm a Gryffindor." I answer indignantly pointing to my patch.

The patch also happened to be near my prefect and Head Girl badges, his eyes grow wide, "Y-You're Miss Hermione Granger!" he exclaims dropping the heavy book on his foot.

Then he screams in pain, hopping around clutching his foot. He finally recovers himself, "I'm sorry Miss Granger I didn't know. I am very pleased to make your acquaintance however, I'm Mr. Ignavus Birnbaum. I've read all about you and your friend Mr. Potter in the _Daily Prophet_."

This only enrages me more, the _Daily Prophet_ lied about Harry and me since fourth year on, I did not like them at all. However, I chose to say nothing of what I was thinking, and simply shook his hand. He added up the book prices on a sheet of paper for me and read the total, "Three galleons and four knuts." He says, "However, since you are Mr. Potter's friend I could give you a discount." He leans in towards me with an innocent smile. I am further repulsed by this however. Using Harry as a discount! NEVER!

"No thanks." I say with a sickeningly sweet smile as I hand him the required sum, "I'm fine." I take my stack of books and shove them into the bag, including the Egyptian one he dropped on the floor, and stalk out of the store, my mother trailing after me.

"So, what else does the list say I need mum?" I ask peering over her shoulder as she looks at the list.

"It says that those planning on studying for the apparition and animagi tests will need to have special potions to be used in case of a mishap, and of course the usual herbs and things you'll need to replenish your potions cabinet. New quills, parchment and ink no doubt. You'll need new dress robes for ceremonies with your house colors. You'll also need a nice dress for the Sixth Years' Annual Ball…Ball? What do they mean by ball? You're too young to have those."

"I guess it's like a muggles' prom mum." I surmise

"Ohh…right." She folds up the list and we set off across the street for Monsieur Papillion's Potions Supplies.

My mother finishes all of the supply shopping in her typical brusque manner, and before we know it it's already lunch time and after that she says we will go buy my clothes.

We stop at the Leaky Cauldron for some soup and a sandwich.

After we were served my mother begins the conversation I'd been waiting for, "Hermione, the incident with Harry last night-well you know better than me what those things often mean. You've told us that they often foreshadow something important. If he says someone's going to die, it is very likely that will happen one way or other. The fact that he didn't tell us who makes me wonder why…" she stops to sigh, "I hope he didn't see who it was, because he's lost so many people already, but I think he did. He won't tell us because it's obviously someone you know very well. So, I just-"

"Mum, what IS it?" I ask disturbed that she can't form her words; my mother is one of the most outspoken people I know.

"Alright, I'll tell you everything I think-against my better judgment. And mind you, not necessarily all of this is true." She takes a sip of her butterbeer.

"I have been observing the way you and Harry act around each other, and listened to all you have said about him in the past years. It is rather obvious Hermione that you like him-"

"Of course I LIKE him! He's my best friend!" I interrupt

She holds up her hand to silence me, "Hermione please hear me out with no interruptions, and do not breathe a word of this to anyone, especially Harry. Hermione, you like him a good deal more than as a friend, because I hardly ever hear you talk about Ron this way. I've watched him too. Harry cares deeply for you-how much I don't know because I do not know him that well. He may even love you the way you do him, but I'm not venturing to guess at the moment…" she pauses and looks down with a gulp, "I-I don't know how to say this to you, and I really don't think it's the best time to tell you if you should be told at all, but I have a feeling that it was you he saw in trouble last night. That's why he's been acting so strange and refused to tell us." her eyes well up with tears, "Oh _do_ be careful Hermione! I don't want to have to bury my other child prematurely."

"T-That's all rubbish mum, you're just worrying too much again. Harry's protective of me because I was hurt badly last year, not because he saw me dying in his vision!" I say standing up so quickly my chair slams into the table behind me. "I also don't like him the way you think I do-nor does he, we're best friends-we can't like each other that way."

"Hermione, do I need to tell you this story a million times? Your father and I went to school together too, we were best friends." She says softly

"You and Dad were the exceptions! That doesn't happen on a regular basis! Guys and girls _can_ be friends _without_ romantic feelings on either side." I whisper fiercely.

My mother stands up, "I think it's time we paid up and left this place before we cause a scene." She says gathering up her things and I prepare to pay the owner who is looking at us curiously.

We leave after finishing up, and she turns to me with a smile, "Now let's go find you the perfect dress to win over Harry with." She says with a wicked grin as she sets off quickly.

I run to catch up with her, still in shock about her revelation inside the Cauldron, and her comment just now, "I already _told_ you mum, I _don't_ like Harry!" I retort walking briskly beside her as she turns inside a very fancy dress store.

**A/N**: Well, I'm feeling guilty about my lack of consistent updates, so here's another…

**HHR-DG-RL-UBBER-SHIP**: Well, I always liked the unpredictable, so I add plot lines that are unexpected. :Laughs evilly at other things placed up my sleeve:. As for romance, there will be some, but unfortunately you'll have to wait until we come across a life-and-death situation. Which, by the way, could be much sooner than you think. But, I will not say who's involved and who's not… :Ducks flying objects:

**JUSTaLOVINGhhrFAN**: Like the update? I certainly do, makes things much more difficult… :tee hee:


	8. The Unspoken Elephant

**Chapter 8-The Unspoken Elephant**

_(Harry's POV)_

After Mr. Granger and I have finished shopping for all my supplies including dress robes and cauldrons-not to mention more than a few Quidditch purchases. We find ourselves walking down the street in silence as the rest of the Diagon Alley's inhabitants bustle noisily around us.

The unmentioned elephant in the room walked with us too, and I was waiting for him to bring it up. He was going to, it was just a matter of time-and try as I might-I could not come up with an explanation for anything that had happened in the last few days; let alone the last year.

Finally, Mr. Granger breaks the uneasy silence, "I suppose that you know about the pictures in our home-the pictures of someone who will never return." He says in a hoarse voice.

Of all beginnings to this conversation I was not expecting him to bring up his dead son! "Yes, Hermione told me a few days ago about Geoffrey, I am sorry about your loss. I know how much he meant to her-and I can only imagine how much he meant to you." I respond with a detached voice.

_I might have deceived myself, but perhaps he wiped a tear from his eye?_ "Geoffrey was the perfect son just as much as Hermione is the perfect daughter. After his loss-she meant twice as much to us as she had before. Death does that to people-makes them see those who survived differently. Would you not agree Harry?"

His words hit home, but I try not to show it, "Yes it does Mr. Granger. It most certainly does."

"I understand that you, Hermione and the rest of your friends nearly got yourselves killed last year at the Ministry of Magic." He says neutrally.

I nod quickly, not finding words to say.

He looks over at me, "Harry, you are sixteen. Hermione tells me by wizarding standards you will have achieved adulthood at seventeen. You are nearly an adult. I am going to talk to you as such, and hope you will respond in a like manner."

I nod again, slower this time.

"Hermione means a lot to me and her mother, but I understand what is at risk here. My son died in service to his country; my daughter may die as well for similar reasons. I have accepted that-"

"Mr. Granger sir, I hope you are not implying I would purposefully put your daughter-my best friend-in danger. That is the last thing I wanted to do last year…that is the last thing I'd ever want to do." I protest

He laughs sadly, "No, I understand perhaps better than you do what Hermione means to you, and I am not implying you would knowingly or willingly put her in danger."

"Then what _are_ you implying?"

"Nothing, I would simply like to ask you some questions. For instance, what exactly did you see last night? Who do you think will die?"

"I told you I don't know." I respond sullenly avoiding his gaze.

"Come now Harry, I may be a muggle, and I may not strike you as the most trustworthy person in the world, and you probably don't even like me right now…but I am Hermione's father and I deserve to know the truth, to know what my daughter will be walking into next year." He argues

"I told you I can't tell you."

"By denying me the answer you are confirming my thoughts and suspicions on the matter Harry."

_He WILL NOT KNOW that his daughter dies a painful death!_

"You don't understand! You **CAN'T**! You may have lost a son-but you didn't lose your parents at the age of one, lived with sadistic relatives until eleven when you found out you were someone famous who had to save the world! Your parents weren't betrayed by their best friend! You didn't lose your godfather! You didn't get slandered by papers! You didn't nearly lose your best friend because of your own folly-" I clamp my hand over my mouth, "Oh Merlin!" I exclaim closing my eyes in shame.

He is silent for awhile, "You are right Harry, none of that stuff has ever happened to me. I cannot sympathize with what you've been through. But I can tell you a few things. First, I already knew Hermione practically died back at the Ministry-but I know it was because of you she was there. She has a deep connection with you Harry, and she'll do anything for you…even if you don't want her to. The other thing I wish to say is, you're drawing yourself away from your friends, both my daughter and Ron when you need them most. You think that by distancing yourself from them you can save them from harm."

He grabs me and shakes me much to my surprise, "You're trying to stop yourself from loving them. It won't work though…because you'll only love them more. A life without love Harry-is no life at all, for them or you. Let them in Harry, you need to talk about this, and trying to push them away only hurts everyone involved. You weren't meant to walk this road alone despite what you may think. You can't always save the world single-handedly." He says letting go of me.

I stare at him for the longest time saying nothing, "I'm only trying to protect them from Voldemort. You don't know what he's like; you don't know what you're asking of me. What you're asking me to expose your daughter to." I whisper softly

"This may sound somewhat selfish Harry, but I am also looking out for Hermione's happiness, not just yours. I think if you asked her, she would prefer two years-or even one year as best friends with you than a long and depressing life without you. Hermione lives her life on the edge; even though you may think that is completely unlike her. Hermione seems organized and calculating, but when it comes to risking her life or anything else for someone or thing she believes in-she'll be the first to sign up. She is emotionally very sensitive. For instance, when you weren't talking to her during third year because of the firebolt issue she came very close to committing suicide. She can't think straight when it comes to those she loves and cares about…Rather like you I believe." He finishes

His revelation shocks me so much I have stopped walking and lean on a nearby wall to steady myself, "How much else do I not know about Hermione? She lost a brother I did not know existed and she nearly committed suicide and tells neither me nor Ron about it."

"Hermione, like you Harry, has her own share of secrets, everyone does. Everyone except those who have found no need for them, like when two people share a special bond of love. Hermione is still insecure enough, not to have told you everything and you have not told her everything either. In time though, that may change."

"I cannot tell her everything, because I just can't." I stammer out.

"More likely you don't want to have to explain something to her, because you haven't figured it out yourself." He counters

_Since when are dentists psychiatrists?_

"That might be the case, and it just might be the fact that I'm trying to protect her."

"She clearly doesn't want it Harry, and your not trusting her is destroying her."

"She's not some super-woman or something. I don't know if she could survive Voldemort, because I can barely do it! I'm not about to take such a chance either, I can't afford to lose someone so close to me again!"

He stares into my eyes for a minute, "Do you think she can either?" he asks completely flooring me.

"I don't know! I don't know anything! I don't even know if I'm going to survive myself this next bloody year!" I respond turning away, had we not been in a public place I would have pounded the wall.

He puts his hand on my shoulder, "I'm sorry for upsetting you. Let's go somewhere else." He turns to leave, but I stop him.

"Mr. Granger, you were right, you deserve to know. I just don't want you telling anybody else right now. Especially Hermione. I saw her-saw her…" I break off overcome, and unable to finish as tears well up in my eyes and a lump comes into my throat.

"Was she the one who died?" he asks calmly, considering the circumstances.

I swallow hard, "I can't be sure, but the way I saw her-it was almost definite." looking away as I finish.

"She will be tortured then?"

How _CAN _he read my mind?

I look up, tears finally falling, "Why are you asking me if you think you know the answer?" I choke out.

"I want to know the worst." He states simply.

"Yes." I croak, "The worst type known to the wizarding world. It is one of the forbidden three-the _Crucius _curse."

**A/N**: Well three updates in a week! I'm doing well!

On another note. I am very disturbed that someone has decided to use my review box as a sound-off box against Islam. I will not reveal my personal views on aforesaid matter, because this is not the place. Sufficient to say I am not Muslim, however I have NOTHING against them.

The material that was typed up into these 'reviews' dealt with bestiality, sodomizing, and raping children. Since this was an anonymous reviewer on the two occasions I have deleted both, and hope to see no such further material in my review box. I have no problems with political debate, except in my review box when it has nothing to do with my story except for the reviewers penname.

If this reviewer(s) has(ve) a problem with this perhaps they will address it to this e-mail not mean to offend anyone, but leaving such material in my review-box seems to subject people to reading it-and I hardly wanted to finish it myself. Thus, I will not willingly subject anyone else to reading it.


	9. The Mysterious Malfoys

**Chapter 9-The Mysterious Malfoys**

_(Hermione's POV)_

Before I knew it, the clock was about to strike five in the afternoon.

"Come on, we'd better meet up with your dad and Harry at Gringotts." Mum says after adjusting some bags on her arm.

We reached Gringotts only to find that Harry and my father had already beaten us. Both of them were silent, and had a rather grim expression on their faces.

"Well what happened here?" jokes my mum, "Did you find a new broom or something that was out of your price range?"

My father shoots her a warning glance, and Harry wanders off down the street absently.

_What happened?_

I glance in the direction Harry's looking, and see the very last person-no make that persons-I want to meet at the moment.

"Draco Malfoy and Lucius Malfoy, what a _nice_ surprise." Harry says in a bitterly sarcastic tone, with a glare that shoots venom.

"Well, if it isn't Mr. Potter _The-Boy-Who-Lived_ and his _mudblood_ girlfriend." Draco retaliates with his own sarcasm, but there is fear in his eyes, and he keeps glancing back nervously at his father.

"**THAT'S IT MALFOY! YOU ASKED FOR IT!"** Harry shouts lunging towards Draco.

I run over and jump in the way just in the nick of time, "Harry, it's not worth it." I say trying to calm him down.

"Hermione," says Harry clearly seething, "You punched, him…and now it's my turn he's insulted you for the last time."

I grab hold of Harry as he tries to make another move towards Draco, "Harry, you're just going to get in trouble, and that's exactly what he wants." Harry is struggling against me, and I don't know how much longer I can hold him.

"Actually, Miss Granger-Draco Malfoy here clearly does not know what's good for him. Especially since he's letting a _mudblood_ defend him against his _family's_ sworn enemy." Lucius snaps

"I don't want to hurt you Hermione, please get out of the way." Harry says struggling against my grasp.

"You're supposed to be in Azkaban!" I retort to Lucius, but still not letting my grip on Harry loosen.

"Well, it looks like the little mudblood doesn't know everything; I was released from Azkaban by the Minister himself because it was proven that the young excitable Harry Potter's word cannot be trusted." Mr. Malfoy states, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Draco is looking nervously between Harry and his father, seemingly not knowing which to fear more. My parents are dumbfounded at this entire display, and don't know what to do. Which is probably better if this turns out to be a fight. Harry can't seem to decide who he wants to hurt more, Mr. Malfoy or Draco and he is still struggling against me.

Suddenly, Harry rips free from my grasp and lunges at Lucius Malfoy.

"HARRY STOP!" I shriek dashing forward.

Draco's father wastes no time and raises his wand to the sky, "_Accio Dementors!"_ he says and almost instantly, the entire street becomes dark and cold, witches and wizards scream in terror and run for cover, Harry stands his ground.

Three dementors come swooping down towards Harry and me.

He raises his wand, and I raise mine even though I am starting to shake in terror, "_Expecto Patronum!"_ we shout in unison.

Our wands emit the silvery shapes of a stag and otter which blast the dementors away.

Once they are gone, we retract the Patronuses, only to find that Draco was knocked to the ground somehow in the scuffle and is now bleeding badly from his chest.

"I told you dad-" he says coughing in pain as he tries to sit up, "Not to do that, Harry and Hermione are too strong for that."

Lucius Malfoy yanks his son harshly off the ground and Draco gasps in pain, clutching his side, "Apparently they're too tough for you as well Draco. I also distinctly remember telling you not to call me 'father' or 'dad' as you have no _right_ to do that anymore." Mr. Malfoy snaps with such anger that his son cringes in fright.

_I am suddenly feeling sorry for Draco Malfoy, what is this world coming to? And why did Draco use our first names?_

"Mr. Malfoy, you should get your son to the hospital." My father says surprising us all.

"He is _not_ my son!" Lucius Malfoy shouts angrily as he smacks Draco on the face and Draco falls to the ground, while Harry and I look on in horrified astonishment. "Besides, you're clearly Miss Granger's **_muggle_** parents. The reason why she's a mudblood. Mudbloods and Muggles are not to interfere with the affairs of wizards." He says threateningly advancing with wand drawn to my parents.

I jump in front of them, "If you so much as twitch your wand at them you'll be sorry you did." I threaten in a low tone with a look that could kill.

"Oh, what are you going to do? One of the forbidden three curses?" he says in a condescending yet sarcastic tone, "If you did you'd sink to the level of a deatheater and Dumbledore couldn't have that now could he?"

Harry jumps in front of me at that moment, "**_Clearly_**, you have not heard of Hermione's hexing abilities." He retorts

"Well, if she can hex so well, how come you're defending her from me?" Lucius Malfoy asks

"Because-you and the rest of Voldemort's cronies have taken everything and everyone I love, and I'm not letting you take her. **_You'll have to kill me first_**." He finishes in a cold, hard tone that was frozen with such anger that I have never seen out of him.

Draco is lying on the ground and one could also see he was valiantly combating the pain he was in, but most of his attention was focused on his father and Harry who looked they were about to kill each other.

Harry and Lucius Malfoy were both in a standoff, wands at the ready they both stood in a dueling position as well.

At that moment I became desperate to do anything to distract Mr. Malfoy from Harry. Anything at all, so I raised my own wand and pointed it at Draco who tried diving for his wand five feet from him, but missed do to his incapacitation. However, he did not get hexed as he was expecting-or anything else along those lines. _"Recupero!"_ I command, a bolt of white light emits from my wand and shoots towards Draco who looks confused.

His wound ismomentarilyfixed and he looks at me with a bewildered surprise. Lucius Malfoy, distracted, looks backwards at his son. I take that split second to aim and shout, "_Petrificus Totalus!"_ at Lucius Malfoy before Harry could do something worse.

Lucius freezes and Harry looks back at me, "Why Hermione? _Why?"_ he asks in an angered tone.

"Because if Lucius Malfoy is out of Azkaban that means that we're out of the Ministry's favor again, and I couldn't take the chance that you'd do something similar to the Department of Mysteries last year which would give the Ministry just the excuse it needs to get rid of you once and for all."

He smiles for the first time since last night, "Thanks Mione, I should've realized that." He says patting my shoulder.

"Now let's get out of here before something else happens." I direct

We look around the street, and miraculously Draco and the rest of us were the only ones to have witnessed the event.

Draco stands and grabs his wand, Harry and I reach for ours, but Draco puts his away instead.

We eye him suspiciously walking in a circular motion around him, as he watches us closely too. Finally he speaks, "I think you should know Harry that I've handed in my resignation for the Slytherin Quidditch team seeker to Professor Snape. You deserve better." He says in a conciliatory tone which is quite odd coming from him.

Harry looks stunned for a second, then recovers himself, "You deserve better than him," he says motioning towards Lucius Malfoy who is still frozen.

"Yeah, well…I'm a Malfoy, and the Malfoys always stick together. Now get lost before my father unfreezes." Draco says regaining some of his old self.

Harry and I shake our heads; I motion for my parents to follow. "Draco's right, let's go." I say and we walk off towards the Leaky Cauldron.

Once at the Leaky Cauldron we ask the owner's permission to use his hearth to transport ourselves back home.

He agrees readily when he realizes who we are. And, within minutes we are all back at my house only this time with school supplies and some more dirt.

After a quick cleaning spell, we all flop down in the family room chairs and couch, exhausted by the sheer amazement of everything that has happened within the last twenty-four hours.

"Those were the Malfoys?" my mother asks uncertainly as she eyes Harry and me for any visible damage.

"Yes." Harry responds, "The odd thing is that Draco has traditionally been our enemy along with his father. They worked together, but now something has sprung up between them and they seem to hate each other. At least Mr. Malfoy does." He is leaning back in his chair gazing at the ceiling.

"What I'd like to know is why Draco quit the team, especially after his father bribed them to take him as with all those nimbuses." My father comments from his position on the couch beside me as he rubs his chin in a manner that reminds me of Dumbledore.

"Who are we to understand the mind of a Malfoy?" Harry says dryly, still gazing at the ceiling.

"Do you think it's even safe for Draco to stay with his family if his father refuses him medical care when he clearly needs it?" My mother asks concerned, while watching the chimney suspiciously from her chair as if someone were to come through it.

Harry glances briefly at my mum, "Mrs. Granger, he's never extended us that courtesy, I fail to see why we should extend it to him." he says sliding back into his old dislike of Draco.

"He could've died if Hermione hadn't healed him." Mum retorts, "Besides, two wrongs don't make a right."

"Mum, I honestly don't know why I did that for him, seeing as he'll likely forget it, and besides he's done much worse to us than you know." I respond watching her closely.

"It's still not right." She says conceding with a sigh.

"There are unfortunately many unfair things in this world." Harry responds absently as he has now turned his attention to his wand which he examines thoughtfully.

_How true that is!_

"Hermione, would you come help me get supper going?" mum asks closing the topic. She and I stand up to enter the kitchen; however I still couldn't help but wonder why Draco and his father were fighting. Draco's quitting Quidditch wouldn't bring that sort of anger out of Lucius Malfoy; perhaps it was Draco's retaliation against something much bigger that his father was trying to do…

**A/N**: Here are the review reactions for this chapter!

**Blade13hjp**: The elusive update has arrived!

**Lucius Caligula Malfoy**: I really don't understand what this review is all about other than the fact you seem to want to insult me. However, I may be wrong. Either way I will ask that you please keep your reviews relating to the story in the future. Thank you.

**HHR-DG-RL-UBBER-SHIP**: The whole 'Allah' thing involved two reviews I had received that insulted aforementioned religion, and thus they were removed from my review box. As for HHR romance, we shall see. Perhaps you might get more than you bargained for, but rest assured that it will be when you least expect it. Unfortunately, you might have to wait awhile for anything to be resolved.


	10. No More Parents

**A/N**: Please, I know I re-posted this chapter, but I put up the 'un-modified' version, sorry! Please re-read!

**Chapter 10-No More Parents for the Summer**

_(Harry's POV)_

The following morning I woke up with one thought on my head. Somebody's got to keep an eye on Draco, and I don't think Neville can handle it. I've got to take the Captaincy position.

It was Saturday morning and I was walking down the stairs for breakfast, still in my pajamas when I heard Hermione arguing to her parents.

"Mum, how can they call you off on such short notice? First you get sent to work on vacation, and now they want you to go on a business trip too! I'm not going to see you guys over the break because I'll need to study, which means we probably won't see each other until next summer break!" Hermione pleads

"I'm sorry Hermione, but we have to go. This convention in France has been planned for a long time, and they'll be teaching us new techniques we need to know to keep up with technology these days." Her father replies

"If they've planned it for so long how come we're only now just finding out about it?" Hermione complains

"I don't know sweetie, but we need to go tonight." Mrs. Granger replies.

"**I DON'T BELIEVE THIS!"** Hermione shouts stomping out of the kitchen to where I'm standing.

She turns red when she realizes what I just heard, "My parents are going away for two weeks, and by that time we'll be leaving for Hogwarts." She explains…not that I didn't already know that.

"Does that mean I'll have to leave?" I ask suddenly afraid they would throw me out.

"No," Mrs. Granger says with a smile on her face, "You may stay here until it's time for you to go. However, I think your Professor Dumbledore was going to whisk you off in a week anyway for that Headquarter place."

"Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix mum." Hermione corrects.

"Really? Did he say when he was coming?" I ask eagerly and Hermione looks at me puzzled.

"Not necessarily when, but I assume he will come." Replies Mrs. Granger equally confounded

"I just need to tell him something urgently." I say evasively.

"Well, we could send him an Owl." Hermione suggests.

"I'd rather not. I think I should tell him in person."

"Well, unless it's very important we can figure it out later Harry, because my parents have to fly to France tonight. We have a lot to do." Hermione answers

"I think breakfast is the first order of the day however, and I'm sure everyone will agree." Mr. Granger suggests while motioning to breakfast which was on the verge of burning.

"Oh my! I forgot all about it!" Hermione's mother exclaims rushing to its rescue.

It wasn't that badly burned, and in no time the four of us we sitting down to a very hearty breakfast.

The hours seemed to tick by rather slowly today however, mainly because Hermione insisted on helping her parents pack-and I was to lazy to do anything without her. I also didn't feel it was my place to help them pack so I sat around and watched boring TV shows the entire day.

Around six in the evening they left, and Hermione's mother practically had to be dragged out by her dad with all the last minute warnings she tried to give us.

"Remember honey, at least one of our cell phones will always be on. I want you two to call when you leave for that Phoenix place, and to call when you arrive, and don't forget to call when you leave for Hogwarts too."

"Mum, cell phones won't work in any magical location. How many years do I have to tell you this?" Hermione replies with pretend annoyance, but I can see she's going to miss them.

"Oh right, well…" she hugs Hermione, and to my surprise, me as well.

"**HELEN!"** Mr. Granger shouts from the car, "**WE'RE GOING TO MISS THE PLANE**!"

"Coming Harold!" she shouts back

"Do be good children, and don't do anything stupid. Obey Dumbledore and any other Order member-"

Mr. Granger decides he's had enough, "Helen," he says grabbing her arm, "We're leaving now!" They walk off, and I see a worried Mrs. Granger wave tearfully over her shoulder.

Hermione shuts the door slowly.

"Are all mothers like that? I mean your mother and Mrs. Weasley are nearly the same." I comment with slight amusement.

"She's always like this when I leave for school, or anywhere else, and especially if she leaves me alone. I think its part of the motherly instinct." Hermione says, and then she looks at the couch with a horrified expression on her face, "Did you watch TV and eat popcorn **_all_** day!"

I look at the nearly finished bowl of popcorn and the remote still sitting on the couch.

"Yeah, there was nothing else to do." I respond with embarrassment.

"NOTHING! What about schoolwork?" she scolds.

"Right now, I'm hungry for dinner can we leave the lecture for later?" I joke as I put the remote away and grab the bowl to dump the remnants in the trash.

"Fine." She sighs

Then there is a crack of thunder, and Dumbledore appears again.

"Well, at least you two aren't in a compromising position like when I arrived last time." He jokes, and I feel my face turning crimson, and I'll wager Hermione's was as well.

"Where are your parents?" he asks looking at Hermione.

"You just missed them, they left minutes ago." She responds grabbing the popcorn bowl from behind my back and shoving it on the kitchen counter out of his sight.

"Oh well, it is probably better, the fewer people who know the better." Dumbledore replies.

"Whatever do you mean Professor?" she asks

"I mean I need two answers from Mr. Potter here involving certain positions he was offered." Dumbledore says turning towards me with his intense blue eyes.

"Harry!" she questions looking between the two of us completely befuddled.

"He means the fact that I was offered the position of Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and a new position-Captain of Prefects." I answer her looking away; slightly embarrassed that Dumbledore hadn't seen fit to ask me in private.

"Why for Merlin's sake didn't you take them?" she queries puzzled.

"Wasn't sure I wanted all that responsibility." I respond simply

"Harry if you can manage to save the world repeatedly, I think you can be Captain of the Quidditch team and of Gryffindor's Prefects."

"If you would let me answer Professor Dumbledore Hermione, I would have told him that yes; I do accept both positions." I finish.

"Very Good, I shall tell Professor McGonagall immediately; however I have two things left to say. First of which being, I believe you have yet to open Sirius's will Harry. Whether or not you want to do it, it must be done; there are matters that need tending. Second, I will return in one week to escort you both down to Grimmauld place for the remainder of the summer." Dumbledore replies looking at the both of us intently as he finishes.

"Will Ron and the rest of the Weasleys be there?" I ask eager to see my friend.

"No, unfortunately there have been some complications in their return trip from Tibet. Because, you see, they cannot all apparate since Ginny and Ron are still too young to do so. The floos out there are very untrustworthy, and portkeys are difficult to come by when the Ministry gets in one of its moods. They will be back before Quidditch starts, do not worry Harry. I do have some good news though, the twins will be returning to Hogwarts. This is no doubt bad news for Filch, but very good for the team. They worked out a compromise with their mother, if they finished up seventh year at Hogwarts; she would let them run their joke shop without complaint. So they will have Bill take over for a few months until they can return. I am babbling however, and must be on my way unless you have any questions."

"I have one question." Hermione states.

Leave it to Hermione to come up with a question

"We met up with Lucius and Draco Malfoy at Diagon Alley yesterday. A fight ensued during which Draco was wounded under suspicious circumstances, and his father refused to help him. I had to heal him before he went into shock, Mr. Malfoy seems to hate his son, and Draco seems friendlier towards us. Do you know why?"

Dumbledore's eyebrows shoot up, "Well, I did not know of this incident. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I have one question though, Miss Granger, how did you heal him? You aren't a healer." He replies as he goes into deep thought.

"I was studying healing spells this summer, I thought it might come in handy considering who we are."

"Only the most powerful witches and wizards can achieve those spells, not to mention you must have enough selfless love to make it work properly."

"**_YOU LOVE MALFOY!"_** I bellow, the unexpectedness of it, not to mention another stronger feeling of jealousy erupting inside me.

Hermione looks at me, horrified, "I certainly do _NOT_ love Malfoy. What Professor Dumbledore means is that I have to love someone-anyone enough, and be loved in return to be able to properly heal a wound like that. To be truthful, I wasn't even sure it would work, it the first time I tried it. I simply was desperate to distract you and Mr. Malfoy enough to save you Harry. It was the first thing that came to mind."

"I-Sorry Hermione, I was just over-reacting." I apologize. Dumbledore winks at me knowingly. I was slightly confused at this, but then Hermione spoke again,

"But why? Why are they fighting? Why is Lucius out of Azkaban?"

Dumbledore looks up from his intense thought, "Again, this is something that I cannot tell you now, but in time you will see. As for Lucius, the Ministry investigated what happened that night and decided that Harry was acting in an irrational manner by following his nightmares. Thus, they concluded that through fabricated pieces of evidence that Lucius was wrongly charged by Harry. They then came to the decision that Lucius was trying to defend the prophecy from Harry because he was too young to have it. It was simply an 'unfortunate circumstance for both parties'" Dumbledore finishes, his eyes squinting to paper-thin cracks in his face and his brows were furrowed with anger.

He sighs, "It does not matter how many times we try to tell them what is going on, they will not believe it. I really must be going now. Goodnight!" he winks at us and apparates out again with his usual crack of thunder.

"I really need to learn how to apparate." I say dryly looking at the spot where he had just been standing.

"Well, that's what books are for Harry." Hermione chides, laying a hand on my shoulder, "Come on, let's go have some of the dinner my mum left for us and then we'll open the will."

I froze at her mention of the will. I am NOT opening that thing! However, anyone knows that once Hermione sets her mind to something-nothing short of a miracle will dissuade her.

"Come on Harry." She says tugging gently on my shoulder to break my gaze from the flagpole outside.

Dinner finished all too early, and soon I found myself holding that dreaded envelope in my hands while Hermione tried to persuade me to open it.

"You can do it Harry, it's just a piece of parchment." She says softly.

Opening it means I'm admitting he's dead, and not coming back.

"He's not dead Hermione; therefore there is no need to open the will." I say with fake cheerfulness casually dropping it on the table and walking to the kitchen trying to find something else to eat.

Being Hermione, she steps in front of me again, "Harry, I'm not having this anymore. I don't care what you want to believe. He's dead Harry, and he's not coming back. I know it sounds cruel and callous, but you can't 'Dwell on dreams and forget to live.' You're living in a world that no longer exists Harry, and the longer you live there the harder it will be to leave and face the real world." She finishes blocking the door with her arms on either side. She looked determined yet sympathetic at the same time. "You can do it Harry, I know you can."

I allow her to lead me back to the table and place the will in my hand. However, I stare blankly at it. Wondering if I can imagine it away.

Minutes pass, and I can see her getting impatient.

"Harry, you need to let go, it's what Sirius would have wanted."

DON'T OPEN IT! _OPEN IT!_ DON'T IT'S BETRAYAL! _You're proving that you cannot accept the truth._ Thoughts like this ran through my head, and my hands start to tremble violently, a visible sign of my inner struggle.

"H-Hermione, can't we wait until tomorrow?" I plead with her.

"Harry, you and I know very well that you'd never open this if I let you get away with it. But I can't let that happen. You need to open it tonight Harry."

"One night can't hurt that much though, can it?"

"I'm speaking from experience Harry, just open it. It'll be even harder tomorrow."

There was no way out, short of throwing it in the fire, which would cause even more problems. Ever so slowly I began to break the seal and open the envelope. I felt like I was trespassing or desecrating something precious by doing this, not to mention the intense felling of betrayal that burned inside me.

Eventually, I succeeded in opening the offending document and withdrawing it from the envelope.

I did not dare look at Hermione right now, for some reason which I couldn't place. Instead I began to skim the document.

Despite all the fancy and official writing, the only words the will had to say was that when the last heir of the Black house died (Sirius) the entire estate-money and house with everything inside it-was bequeathed to me. The lawyer's signature was that of Dumbledore's, which didn't really surprise me.

The two witnesses were Professors Lupin and Moody. The last signature was the sloppy, scratched one of Sirius Black, my late godfather.

I managed to read the entire document without tears or any other emotional display, but I was still torn up inside. He really _is_ dead, and he's _never_ coming back. I sink slowly onto the couch, and Hermione puts her arm around me in a comforting manner.

"Remember what Lupin said? There's something else besides just a will in there Harry." She whispers in my ear.

Reaching inside the envelope once more reveals a short note addressed to me.

"_Harry,_

_If you're reading this, it means I must be dead. I'm sorry I didn't get to see you finish growing up, but you do need to remember Harry there are more important things than mourning. Think of things this way instead, I'm with your parents right now, watching you reading this and hoping you'll get my message. We still love you despite the fact we're not here anymore, and you don't love us any less by moving on with your life. There are thousands of wonderful (and yes, dreadful) things you still have to do-don't let your grief control your life. Talk to your friends, let them in and you will grow stronger because of this experience, and wherever your parents and I are right now we'll look at you and smile._

_Love Your Godfather,_

_Sirius Black"_

"He wants me to move on." I mumble as I shove the note in my pocket.

"Everyone has to move on Harry, its hard yes, but it is possible and I'll do whatever I can to help you get there." She responds gazing at me with a troubled look.

"Thanks Mione, but right now I think I need to be alone right now." I respond standing up, and she lets go of me, however, with reluctance.

I toss the will on the table and look at her quickly before I turn to walk outside.

She is on the verge of tears herself, and I find myself wanting to cry as well. I throw open the door and walk outside quickly before she can see how she is affecting me.

Once out of sight I run as fast as my feet can carry me, not caring where I end up. I vaguely remember passing through some tall grass and moving quickly over treacherous rocks until finally I stumble on something I failed to see and fall.

There is a huge gaping tear in my pant leg from the sharp rock I must have tripped over, and my leg has a matching gash as well, not that I care. I'm too numb to feel much of anything right now.

I sit down of a nearby rock and look for the first time out over the vast view of the ocean I have from here.

This place really is beautiful.

From where I am sitting I can see the other peninsula covered in trees jutting out into the water, the large bay separating me from it. To my left the mouth of the bay opens itself to the ocean. Also to my left much further down is the white house that Hermione is crying in right now.

Suddenly I feel terrible for running off on her like that. It's not like she didn't love Sirius too, and she's trying to comfort you ignoring her own grief, and you shove her away!

I shake my head and cover my face, but it does not stop the tears from falling, and soon my hands are covered those infuriating salty droplets.

You are such a coward, less than a year away from adulthood and you're still weeping like a little boy! I feel like such an idiot and a bloody coward that I cannot make myself go back to the house, let alone stop this massive storm of weeping that has overtaken me.

Utter despair engulfs me, just like the old days when I would cry myself to sleep at night in the cupboard under the stairs at the Dursleys. This time however, the despair is different and darker and feels more real.

Even as a boy I always dreamt of a time when I would discover I had a long-lost uncle or grandfather that would come find me at the Dursleys and take me away from them. Then I would live a perfect life, have all the friends and ice cream I could want and never have to go to school again.

Now though, there is no glimmer of hope at the end of the tracks, there is no ridiculous dream to believe in anymore. There is simply me and a few friends banding together in a desperate struggle to outwit the strongest wizard in the world who has decided he simply has to kill me. Me, the un-liked, abnormal weird Harry Potter who by the way has no parents or guardians anymore.

Eventually, the thoughts stop flowing and I find myself simply staring out at the bay as if I am waiting for a sign.

Suddenly I feel something wet on my forehead, and I reach up to touch it and discover it has started raining. I don't really care though, and hug my knees under my chin as the downpour washes all the salty tears off of my face.

Then I hear a clap of thunder, and look around for someone who has apparated out here, only to discover it is a real thunderstorm. However, this does not dissuade me and I sit there during the storm, not caring if I am hit because it is my way of defying the world.

It seems like hours upon hours have passed, and suddenly I hear a twig snap and whirl around just as someone loses their footing and falls in my direction, there is a shriek and I recognize the voice despite the blackness that engulfs us, "**HERMIONE!"** I shout and I jump up to go catch her.

She was falling from a slippery cliff about fifteen feet up. She would break her neck if I didn't do something quickly.

The rocks were so slippery that I stumbled in my mad dash over to her, and what seemed like forever must have been only a few seconds, but I did manage to catch her. Due to the slippery rocks and the darkness, not to mention her weight (not that she's fat-she's actually pretty light but she was falling fast), I slipped just as I caught her and we both hit the ground with a sickening thud.

_**DAMN!**_ _I can't do anything right anymore!_

Hermione was lying on her face, not a good sign and even in the occasional flashes of light I feel and see a sticky red liquid seeping all over her rain-drenched shirt. Oh God! Please don't let her be dead! I can't handle that!

My vision was blurred do to another flood of tears pouring from my eyes, and rain splattering on my glasses. I gingerly picked her off the rocks, "Hermione, can you hear me?" I shout above a thunder crack.

Her eyes were closed, and she did not respond, but I could see her chest rise and fall with an uneasy rhythm. She's alive! Relief washes over me and I find my head swimming again just like in the Department of Mysteries. I bow my head in silence for a little, trying to steady my brain. Thank you God! Then I feel Hermione shudder. I realize I've done nothing about her cut, there is no Neville here to think for me-panic strikes, and I grope for my wand only to find I seem to have lost it in my dash to catch her.

A lucky flash of lightening allows me to spot it three feet away, I grasp it firmly, and do the first thing I can think of.

"_Rosso Volo!"_ I shout and red sparks fly out of the tip of my wand, which I then drop as I dash back over to Hermione.

I carefully pick her off the ground and cradle her in my arms, "Hermione, please don't die-this just isn't right-I can't believe I'm so stupid please don't die Ican'tlivewithoutyouIamsuchagitpleasepleasepleasedon'tdie! HERMIONE!" I wail above the loud winds as she lays limply in my arms.


	11. Memories

**Chapter 11-Memories**

_(Hermione's POV)_

I wake up on my face with a raging headache in my bed. _Funny, I don't remember going to bed._

I try to turn over and discover that was not a good idea, my back stings like I was whipped or something. Why does my back sting? Where is everyone?

Placing my hand on my back I discover why, there are bandages all over it I must have hurt my back somehow.

After a rather painful ordeal I manage to get myself out of bed, there is nobody in my room, and for that matter, probably nobody on this floor either.

I am in a rather large t-shirt which I most certainly never would have worn to bed without shorts or something. I strip it off carefully and look at the bandages in the mirror they span about eight or nine inches-which is almost my entire back, however they are very narrow.

Out of curiosity I start to peel one off, but it stings incredibly, and I am engulfed in the intense aroma of lilies (a beautiful flower muggles love-but it has healing powers unknown to them). The cut is deep and my blood has turned a deep red color as it tries to scab over. There are also bruises all over my back and shoulders.

Then suddenly, I realize something horrendous-my bra is not on. I NEVER go to sleep without a sports bra on, and I don't even remember going to sleep last night. Something is dreadfully wrong here.

Suddenly I see my clothes in a corner of the room, and I dash over to get my bra from them, only to find the strap has been sliced and is covered in blood. I am glad to find my wand unscathed, but I am disturbed by these clues and want to know what happened.

I rummage through my drawers to find some clothing and throw on a different bra along with a pair of jean shorts and a green tank top with practically no back so it won't disturb the bandages which I put back on. Finally I discover a pair of tan sandals at the bottom of my closet. I then grab my wand and stalk downstairs ready to face whoever is down there.

I find the last two people I would expect to find. Professor Snape and Harry talking in low tones, and not fighting either which is a miracle in itself.

"What happened last night, and why is Professor Snape here?" I ask Harry with an air of suspicion.

"I had been sitting outside during the storm after my fit over Sirius's will, and I suppose you were worried so you came out to find me. The problem is, you slipped and fell off of one of the cliffs. I tried to catch you, but I don't think I was quick enough or careful enough and that is how you got the nasty cut on your back." Harry responds motioning towards my back, and then he looks away ashamed.

I walk the rest of the way downstairs, and stand in front of the two of them.

"That does not explain why the Professor is here Harry; nor does it explain why I was wearing a t-shirt and no bra when I woke up this morning." I counter angrily as my thoughts begin to race quickly wondering what else happened.

Harry cringes visibly at the last accusation, and Snape looks awkward too, but it is Snape who answers me.

"There is no reason to be upset or accusatory Miss Granger, nothing else happened. After Harry discovered you were hurt he sent up red sparks the way he was told to if either of you was in trouble. I happened to be the Order member on duty when he did so, and I came as quickly as I could. It is a good thing that I did too because your friend was almost in worse shape than you were. He was babbling unintelligibly under his breath and crying over you as if you were dead. After prying him off you I had you transported back to the house where I managed to calm Mr. Potter down enough to have him help me tend you-"

"Sorry to interrupt professor, but why didn't you send for Madame Pomfrey?" I ask in a slightly annoyed tone.

"Exactly what Potter asked." Snape says with a questioning glance at Harry who turns very red. "I did not send for her for two reasons: First, you needed immediate care and one cannot apparate on Hogwarts grounds-you of all people should know that Miss Granger." He glanced at me with reprimand. "Second, she is not in the Order, and thus cannot know where young Potter is." Snape glances at him again. "We had to remove your clothes to tend your wound Miss Granger, but nothing improper happened. We decided it was also best not to put on any of your other clothes, and that is the end of my tale. Mr. Potter and I have been down here discussing things since then. That must have been three in the morning." He finishes.

Throughout the last part of his narrative I felt my cheeks beginning to burn and my heart pound more and more. I honestly didn't know which was worse, the fact that Professor Snape had seen me naked, (practically so) or Harry had. **_I am utterly mortified!_**

Snape stands up, "I understand this is a very uncomfortable position for you Miss Granger, therefore I will be leaving soon. However, before I go I will give you an option I hope will make you feel better." He hands me his wand and I am completely puzzled.

He looks at me, "I take it such an advanced student as you would know how to do a memory charm?"

I nod nervously, "Yes I do." I've read about it, but never actually done it.

"Good, then you should erase all of my memory from approximately one to three this morning, and I suggest you do the same to Potter too when I have left."

I close my eyes and point Snape's wand at him while I concentrate intensely as I chant the charm under my breath. After I am finished I place the wand on the table and am surprised to find Harry helping Snape catch his balance.

"He's fine Hermione, just tripped over the table leg while you were concentrating." Harry responds to my unasked question.

I decide to test my charm-just to make sure it worked, "Professor Snape do you remember what you were doing last night?"

He looks at me utterly confused, which seemed to be a first for him. "I was supposed to be on Guard for the Order over this house, but I have no clue why I'm not still out there."

Harry winks at me, "You were just having the conference with me Professor over my Potions grade for the OWL test not matching up with the grade I had received in your class, and now it's all cleared up thanks to your suggestions. You can go now." He even picks up Snape's wand and hands it to him.

Snape looks suspiciously at Harry, "Where's my broom?"

"Outside on the rocks. I did warn you Professor not to come during the storm, it was a rather rough landing it really is a miracle you and the broom survived. I remember though, you were rather adamant about helping me with Potions." Harry opens the door and points him out to the rocks, and nearly ends up pushing Snape outside the house.

Harry closes the door and we burst out laughing, even though it was a guilty sort of laughter.

"I _cannot_ believe you did that Harry, he helped us and you were so mean to him!" I exclaim

"Well, think of all those times he's given me poor grades, it's payback for a few of those." Harry says grinning, then he gets serious though, "Here is my wand Hermione." He says handing it to me, "Same time just erase it now please." He pleads as he closes his eyes.

It amazes me that Harry trusts me so much with all of these horrid memories he's had. It occurs to me this is a one time chance, I could read his entire mind; relive his life if I wanted to. I look at him standing there his eyes closed and no nervousness at all as he puts himself into my hands.

I then look back at the wand. You could erase all his Cho Chang memories, you could erase all the times you embarrassed yourself in front of him, you could erase all his bad memories.

After thinking this all over, I don't think I can do it again. I can't just erase any part of Harry's memory-in many cases it is all he's got. He saved my life last night, and despite how embarrassed I may be I not going to deprive him of that.

"Here is your wand Harry." I say handing it to him.

"But you didn't do anything Hermione, why not?" he asks surprised as he takes the wand back from me.

"I want to really know what happened last night, and if I erase your memory I can't find that out now can I?" I return sheepishly

He looks at the floor, "Hermione, this isn't right. You don't know what you're asking of me when you don't erase this memory." He responds softly

I thought I was doing him a favor! "Why is that a problem Harry?"

He suddenly looks up at me, "Hermione remember last year when you and I were discussing what I should have done with Cho last year and you said I should've told her you were ugly?"

"Yes…but where are you going with this?"

He looks very agitated and turns away from me to rub the back of his head, "Hermione, in case you haven't noticed Ron is in love with you." He says absently still not facing me.

"What's that got to do with anything? Harry you just completely changed the subject!" I protest.

"Ron loves you Hermione; can you imagine what he's going to think when he hears about this?" Harry replies chewing the bottom of his lip.

"Harry, look at me!" I demand, and he slowly turns to look at me, "I already knew about Ron, but I can't make myself like him-it doesn't work that way and you know it. As for this incident, nobody need know but us. And what does this have to do with our conversation concerning Cho? You're starting one argument and not finishing it!" I respond nearly shouting I'm so exasperated with his beating around the bush.

He stares out the window again, "Hermione, I distinctly remember saying that, 'I don't think you're ugly.' What does that tell you?" he asks with an uncertain and vulnerable tone.

"It tells me you don't think I'm ugly, which is an encouragement, but again has nothing to with the subject at hand. That is why you actually want me to erase your memory."

He turns back to me and he looks almost angry which makes no sense to me, "Do I have to spell it out Hermione! Last night is asking to me to 'forget' something that a teenage boy who happens to be best friends with a girl isn't necessarily going to 'forget,' Hermione, that was crossing the boundary of friendship and you know it. It'll be awkward for the both of us from now on. Can't you just live without an answer in life for once?" he pleads

"Harry I have my own reasons for choosing not to erase your memory besides my curiosity which has nothing to do with what you are talking about. I'm sure you can learn to get over this, and will you please tell me what in the world happened last night?" I retort

He sighs and stares at me for the longest time, as if searching my face for sympathy. Finding none, he flops back down on the couch where he and Snape had been sitting earlier.

"I had been sitting outside on the rocks watching the storm for the longest time, not really thinking of anything when I heard a twig snap and you scream I looked over and before I really knew what I was doing, I was rushing over the slippery rocks trying to break your fall from what must have been fifteen feet. Your impact and the slippery rocks combined to make me lose my footing and I dropped you and that is how you got that cut on your back." He motions to my back and pauses to take a deep breath before he continues, "I turned you over after spotting the gash in your back. I honestly thought you were dead again for the second time and it was all because of me." He stops and folds his hands together nervously as he uses his elbows to lean on his knees and he stares at the door for no real reason, but he studiously avoids my glance.

"I really don't remember what happened next very well except that I sent the sparks to call for Snape and he came very soon. He then took you back to the house where we stripped your shirt, bra and jeans off. The bra had already been cut when you fell. I suppose that is why one part of the cut is not as deep as the others. Snape managed to conjure some sleeping draught to make you sleep for a few hours because you needed rest, and then he made some flower-smelling potion out of the white flowers from your mum's garden to help heal the wound."

He pauses again, "Then Snape dragged me out of your room saying you needed your rest. We talked first about my Potions grade and then digressed to other things, and that is when you came downstairs." He looks up, "Is that good enough for the chronicler?" he jokes half-heartedly.

I glance at the nearest clock; it is already nearly three in the afternoon. "That must have been one good sleeping draught." I commented

"Yes," he laughs nervously, "To keep you in bed so long when you normally rise around six."

He's really tense! "You've already had lunch and breakfast I presume?" I ask

"Well we did have lunch, it was something Snape conjured up, but we didn't have breakfast. That's alright though, I'm fine." Harry finishes.

He doesn't want food, that's a bad sign!

"Well, I'll get a snack and you can go get our schoolbooks we should really start on our homework because you know just as well as me we'll never get anything done at Headquarters." I command and Harry seems grateful to have an excuse to leave the room.

Did I make the right decision? I shrug it off, Harry's probably just shocked because he almost lost me again. I grab some cookies out of the jar and a glass of milk and head back to the living room.

Harry starts coming down the stairs with an entire stack of books and a list sticking out. The stack is so high he can't even see over it, "I hope I got them all. I had no idea we signed up for this many classes Hermione, maybe I should drop a few." He jokes

That's the old Harry coming back! "No you not will do any such thing Harry James Potter!" I reprimand him, falling right into his trap just the way he wants me too.

"You know Hermione, you really do work too hard, maybe we should go flying or something, I mean come on-look at all these books we really must be overachievers to do all this!" he teases as he dumps them on the table in front of me.

"No more flying until **_all_** the homework is done Harry!" I command, and he sits down obediently as he takes out a quill and some parchment with a sigh.

"So where do we begin?" he asks with no enthusiasm.

I lean over to grab the list of assignments, and I catch a glimpse of him.

Harry was staring at my back and he closes his eyes slowly and gulps. I wonder what the problem so I stick my hand back there.

A searing pain rips through my body as I hit the bandages the wrong way and I realize it…the low back of the shirt and the bandages. How _much_ more of an idiot could I have been!

**A/N**: Sorry for lack of updates, but being a senior in High School is **_hell!_**

(Whoever said it was easy deserves to die the slow and painful death that I am currently experiencing.)

Anyways, without further ado, review reactions:

**Serendipity9**: Again, sorry for tardiness!

**xObserveRx**: Alright, really sorry you reviewed three times and I still didn't update, but my life is inside-out and upside-down right now…To your reviews though, sorry the chapter was kind of slow, but I can't have things moving too fast now can I? What do you hope is inevitable by the way? (Not that I will necessarily answer it.)

Why is Harry so upset? Harry's human! We all are, and do to the positions he's been put in he's had to grow up much quicker than most boys his age. I know two brothers who lost both their parents, and they can be very sensitive and caring, but they can also be as-holes. Somewhat like Harry I suppose, so kill me if I'm styling him somewhat after my friends…

Anyways, hope you liked the update and perhaps it implied enough for you as to the 'inevitable'?

**MortyM**: Well, if Harry were to settle his issues immediately, then were would the plot be? Sorry, I know how much readers hate it when things like this are dragged out forever, but its part of the plot to make sure things stay interesting. Believe me, I feel for you!

**Tojot**: Hope the wait wasn't too long! Anyways, as for slow plot progression, I think most lengthy and good stories are like this, don't worry Portkey will accept you soon. (How long did it take them to respond though, I've been waiting for a few weeks!) Thanks for your review!


	12. Fire Burns

**Chapter 12-Fire Burns**

_(Harry's POV)_

Hermione's face turns red and she moves out of my sight behind the pile of books.

I try to turn back to my studies, but I find my mind wandering back to the girl sitting just beyond the pile of books. Does she really know just what she puts me through? The emotional rollercoaster ride I've been on since the Department of Mysteries only intensified last night when I thought she was going to die again-because of my stupidity.

Then, that incident where Snape forced me to help him (of course I wouldn't have let him do it by himself anyway), clean her up and then Hermione forcing me to relive it for her.

I really don't know how to describe it without sounding like I was trying to take advantage of her-which I most certainly would not.

Hermione, as far as I'm concerned is an attractive girl, but the problem is she's my best friend-and my other best friend is infatuated with her. So, clearly I am not **_allowed_** to feel anything for her other than friendship, and besides-it's **_Hermione._**

She's changed a good deal since I last saw her though; and-well I'm not going to say that I disliked everything from last night.

_She's pretty…alright-she's hot…but that's all you're getting out of me._

I move over a little to get a better view of her (so that she can't hide behind her books the way she'd like to). She is intently bent over her parchment scratching away with her quill in her fancy loopy writing that looks like it's from the seventeen hundred's.

Her hair falls into her face, despite the fact that she tried to pull it up with a hair clip. Her face is so pretty I would've sworn she was wearing makeup, but I know for I fact she doesn't own any. Her eyelashes are really long…and her hair seems a good deal tamer than I remember.

**_BLOODY HELL!_** I wrote all of that down on my parchment sheet!

I quickly drop my quill and grab the offending sheet which I shred to pieces without thinking twice.

Hermione looks over at me surprised. "Why are you ripping up your essay Harry?"

I turn really red; I can feel it spreading across my cheeks like wildfire.

"I screwed it up pretty badly. It was a wreck." I answer quickly.

"What was it on?" she asks in a helpful tone.

"Uhh…Transfiguration of chandeliers to jellyfish and all the terminology involved." I respond saying the first thing that comes to mind.

Hermione looks confused and grabs her assignment sheet, and then her face brightens. "No wonder Harry, you misread the assignment-it says the transfiguration of jellyfish to a candle. You were making it far more complicated than it really was." She smiles and leans over forgetting her earlier embarrassment, "Here, let me help you…"

The hours flew, and before we knew it, it was already nine in the evening. Hermione suggested dinner which we heated up from the refrigerator.

After dinner she said we should go to bed, but I interrupted her.

"Hermione, Snape said that if the potion was undisturbed it would heal completely by three this morning. Why don't we just wait up so I can help you remove it?"

She places her hand gingerly on her back, "I keep forgetting I'm supposed to be an invalid. I suppose we could wait up, but what would we do? We've finished our homework."

I stare at her blankly, "I have no clue." I finally admit.

"I know!" she exclaims as if she had a stroke of brilliance, "We'll start reading the auror book tonight!"

_Note to self: **NEVER** let Hermione come up with something to do again!_

"Right." I state with no emotion whatsoever.

"Come on, it won't be that bad!" she retorts in a teasing tone, and then disappears upstairs to fetch her copy.

I stare out the large window at the flagpole which is now illuminated due to the fact the sun is down. How did I not notice Hermione's grief first year? I must really be blind…

I hear her excited step descending the stair, but suddenly she stops.

I turn to look at her, and she is staring at me, her face ashen.

"What is it Hermione?" I ask alarmed.

"Shut the curtains Harry." She replies in a cold voice.

I move towards them slowly and shut them, and only when I have completely shut them does she continue down the stairs.

"What was that all about if you don't mind my asking?"

She stares at the wall with a picture of her brother on it, and goes over to it and takes it off the wall and puts it face down, and proceeds to do the same to the rest of his photos around the room.

"Tonight is the anniversary of the night my brother ceased to exist…it was five years ago today."

"I'm sorry; I don't know what else to say." I pause trying to gauge her reaction, but she gives none, "Do you still want to read, or would you rather talk about it?" I ask trying to help her.

She looks at the book in her hand, and then slowly turns her glance to me. _Did it seem like she might cry?_ Then suddenly she sits down on the couch beside me and opens the book decisively, "We will read tonight." She declares in a commanding tone that leaves no room for argument.

I must confess that in the hours that followed, my mind was on everything but what Hermione was reading. I did manage to concentrate for the first few pages, but lost track after page thirty or so.

The clock read two-thirty by now, and with shock I realized I was exhausted I had not slept in almost two days. I yawned loudly.

Hermione turns towards me with a grimace on her face, "Have you been paying attention at all Harry?"

Her page number says two hundred and forty-seven. _Yikes! I really haven't been paying attention!_

"Sort of, I'm kind of tired though." I lie

She shakes her head with a sigh and glances at the clock, "We only have thirty minutes more then we can go to sleep Harry, surely you can wait that long." Then she goes back to reading, knowing very well I'm not listening.

I find myself unusually drawn towards her at this time, more so than I have ever been before.

She'd been through so much, yet she pushed on and kept going. She was strong, intelligent, kind, caring and unselfish. She practically died for my stupid dreams last year!

I feel the strong urge to throw my arms around her and never let her go, and protect her from every harm that would befall her.

_What in the world is wrong with me tonight? Must be lack of sleep…_

She absently brushes her arm against mine while she turns a page; we are now on page 254. That's 224 pages I haven't been paying attention… Besides, how can I when I can't keep her out of my head?

Her shoulders are bare except for the small green strap that holds her shirt up, she wears no jewelry. I wonder why? Most girls do… The shirt is weird though, for her anyway. She's got a low V-neck front and a practically non-existent back. _If I got close enough… Harry stop it! This is **HERMIONE!**_

Her neck is pretty much bare too, she flipped her hair up in one of those hair clips girls love. It looks really nice, especially when parts fall out that she doesn't intend.

Her lips are wet from licking them while she reads. I always thought that was a really weird habit of hers', it was like she was preparing to eat the book or something. Knowing Hermione, that just might be it.

I glance at the clock to distract myself from my too-close examination of my best friend.

The clock says three-fourteen. _YES! No more book torture!_ "Hermione, hate to interrupt, but you're fourteen minutes past the allotted time." I tease.

She glances at the clock, and closes the book after making sure to mark the page. "Alright Harry, you can take them off now." She says in a resigned tone.

I carefully reach over to remove some of the gauze, and I peel it away slowly. It really is amazing! This cut looked hideous before, and now it's all gone! Wait, what's this?

"Hermione, most of it's coming off okay, but there's a scar here." I say unconsciously tracing it with my finger.

There's a sharp intake of breath from Hermione.

"That hurts." She says through gritted teeth, "Please stop." I immediately retract my hand as if burned.

"Do you want me to take the rest off?"

"Yes, that part is probably scarred because I tried taking it off earlier." She responds

I cautiously remove the rest of the bandages and place them on the table. In the process I ram into Hermione who happened to be leaning over at the same time I was trying to get up.

"Sorry," I apologize my face centimeters from hers,' and I can feel her hot breath on my face.

"It's okay," she responds rubbing her shoulder a little, then she smiles at me which sends me out of my mind. I swear I really don't know what overcame me at that moment.

"Hermione, please don't ever leave me. I need you; you are my anchor in life. I can't live without you." I murmur

She looks surprised, but before she has a chance to respond I lean in and her lips meet mine…

I swear it was never my intention when I woke up two mornings ago to have a make-out session with the girl who is supposed to be my best friend at three in the morning, but that is what it became.

One kiss just wasn't enough; I felt a desperate need to hold her so close-and being a teenage boy that often leads to other things. Besides, she tasted just like the chocolate ice cream we'd had for dessert and everyone knows how I **love** chocolate.

I was practically on top of her by the time we finished. It was something I'd never done before, and I swear something inside me snapped during those minutes. I never had the desire to even kiss another girl after that, not even Cho Chang. Hermione was…well really good.

Hermione was the one who stopped it, and she hoarsely pointed out that I was on top of her and imagine how this would look to Dumbledore if he were to pop in.

I sheepishly got off of her, but not without reluctance. In a way it felt like she meant what she did back there.

She stood up slowly and brushed herself off and straightened her hair. "Well, I guess that makes you my first kiss Harry." She jokes nervously.

"You were already, remember when we got off the train fourth year?" I respond, and then to my great dismay I yawn again.

She looks at me annoyed, "You and I have a completely unannounced snogging session and all you can do is yawn!"

I look at her and I feel scared of losing something, but I don't know what, "Hermione," I finally say, "Could you cut a guy a break. I haven't slept in almost two days. Besides, you are the-" I stop afraid to continue, "You are really nice." I finish with an awkward smile and disappear upstairs before she can kill me.

When we get up the next morning it is nearly noon and the first question Hermione asks me is one I should've prepared for, "Harry what did you remember from last night?"

I looked at her very long and hard as if trying to remember something. I_ can't tell how weird that made me feel, this just can't happen!_

"Remember what?" I lie. I see the reaction spread on her face like when someone tells you your best friend has died. She was devastated…and her expression would haunt me for the rest of my days.

"Y-You remember n-nothing?" she stammers fear washing over her face like a giant tidal wave.

"Nothing."

**A/N**: Well, wasn't that evil of me?

**Gyriffindor620**: Yes, poor little Hermione, if I were her I would've hit Harry…really hard!

**xObserveRx**: Yes, well I might get a bit defensive too… Anyways, yes, inevitables… :Runs away from flying objects:

**Beppo1**: Sorry for my lack of timely updates…

**The Gryffindor Drummer**: Yes, I'm now worrying how many of you will still continue to think that I am an excellent writer after this chapter!

**harrypotters lady**: Did you get my e-mail?

**LuvFantasy**: Don't know, why don't you keep scratching your head, might actually make room for some useful information in there…

**hiddenprincess818**: Thanks for the review! (I hope you like it after this one!)


	13. Hermione and Lily's Common Secret

**Chapter 13-Hermione and Lily's Common Secret**

_(Hermione's POV)_

The remainder of the week passed uneasily. There were times that I felt like killing myself it was that tense.

Every time we came within three feet of each other it was if sparks started to fly, we hardly ever talked-and our flying 'lessons' never reached the same level of comfort as before. I could feel Harry distancing himself from me, and it was breaking my heart.

At first I tried to blame it on my making him open Sirius's will, but then I would catch him looking at me in ways he never had before. There was a combination of desperation, hope, depression and (possibly?) desire. It was at this point I deduced he regretted kissing me (because it was clear by his actions that he remembered, despite saying otherwise).

Harry's depression is contagious; I never would have thought that such a thing could be said of despair-but it is when you are emotionally bonded to them.

Besides, heaven knows that I was never good at resisting depression myself. I practically committed suicide third year when he stopped talking to me.

_Flashback:_

_I had been sitting outside by the frozen lake in the newly fallen snow, shivering visibly in my cape and Gryffindor scarf. It was the first Hogsmeade trip I missed._

_Normally to not go would mean I would have needed an excuse, but I wasn't talking to Harry and Ron-thus no excuse was needed._

_At the thought of Harry a solitary tear slipped down my cheek, and it felt like ice._

_A gust of wind blew furiously at me, and the tear blew off with it and froze in the bitter cold, only to crash with a splintering sound a few feet from me._

_Just like my life, this tear has shattered._

_Without second thought I drew my wand, and aimed it at myself._

_After taking a deep gulp I closed my eyes, forcing more tears out._

"_Avada Kadvra!" I command it firmly._

"_FAWKES!" I hear a firm masculine voice bellow, and I open my eyes in surprise to see a flash of red and gold going speed of light race towards me, blocking the green bolt coming out of my wand, and consuming it. Then, Dumbledore's beautiful phoenix fell to the ground with a thud and disintegrated into ash. I screeched in horror. But the bird was re-born from its ashes with a cheery chirp as it waddled back to Dumbledore, and to my astonishment it had my wand in its beak. _

_I watch, ashamed as Dumbledore approaches me slowly._

_When he reaches me, I am staring at my feet because for the first time in my life-I am without words._

_He sits down in the snow beside me, and we stare at the lake for awhile before he says anything._

"_So why aren't you at Hogsmeade?" he asks nonchalantly._

"_I didn't feel like going today." I respond sullenly._

"_Come now, even your friend Harry is there without permission, surely you would want to protect him from being discovered." He jokes._

"_Harry doesn't want me anymore." I answer my voice thick with tears about to fall._

"_I am going to tell you a short story Miss Granger, and I hope that such a bright student as yourself will be able to discover the meaning behind it._

"_Once, many years ago when I was not yet Headmaster of Hogwarts, there was a young student such as yourself. Just named Head Girl though, so she was a bit older than you are. I found her about to drink a poisonous potion she had conjured up in Potions class for this purpose._

_Fortunately, I was able to stop her, and afterwards I questioned her as to why she tried to commit suicide. She told me it was because her best friend-the Head Boy no less-and she had gotten into a fight and he refused to talk to her anymore. You see, he was the only real friend she had and she couldn't stand being without him. After this, we were able to sort out the situation and they forgave each other." Dumbledore stops abruptly. _

_I look over at him for the first time, "Well, what happened to her? Where is she now? Who is she?" I ask eagerly, my curiosity getting the better of me._

"_She eventually married her friend and they became two of the best aurors the world has ever seen, but fifteen years ago she and her husband were betrayed to Voldemort, neither survived…" He pauses, and his voice seems to quaver, "Her married name…was Lily Potter."_

"_Harry's mother tried to commit suicide because James wouldn't talk to her?" I exclaim_

"_Yes, much like you and Harry right now I suppose." Dumbledore suggests keenly._

_I feel my cheeks start to burn despite the intense cold the surrounds us, "Does Harry know this?" I ask_

"_No he does not, and it would be best if you did not tell him yet."_

_Then silence descended on the two of us and I stared at Fawkes who still held my wand tightly in his beak as he perched Dumbledore's arm._

"_What will you do about me then?" I finally ask_

_He stands up suddenly, and offers me his arm. I accept it and he helps me up. "I am going to notify your parents about this-after all they have to know it is the law. However, I will return you your wand." He says taking it from Fawkes's grudging mouth. "And trust that you shall not be this foolish again. If ever you need help with any of your relationships that is what I and the rest of the teachers are here for. Talk to us if you feel this depressed again, because we can help."_

"_Will you tell them too?" I inquire with anxiety._

"_Only Professor McGonagall because she is the head of your house. Believe me, this secret will not be told by either of us, and it would be up to you and your parents who else it would be revealed to."_

"_Now, here is your wand-and do not be so foolish again. I do not think that you realize exactly how much power you wield when it comes to young Mr. Potter's emotions. He needs you to survive this war Miss Granger, do not deprive him of his strongest ally." He finishes with a small wink as I confusedly accept my wand from him, and then he wanders off towards the castle._

So now I find myself staring at Harry with sympathy, his mother had a hard time of it too.

He feels my gaze on him and looks up from his Quidditch book, "What is it Hermione?" he asks for the first time in the last few days without any second-guesses or reservation.

I instantly feel guilty knowing something about his mother that he doesn't, but I was told not to reveal it. _What do I say to him now?_

So I say the first thing that pops into my head, "Why don't you practice your Occulmancy?" I ask

He looks confused, "Hermione, there's nobody to practice with. No offense, but I need to work with someone who knows what they're doing."

"Harry, just try it, you need the practice. I'll learn quick enough." I offer

He looks astounded, "Hermione, I don't think you realize what you are offering me, let alone what this entails. Occulmancy is reading another's mind and memories. Usually, the stronger more experienced opponent wins and has extensive access to the other's mind. In our case, that is clearly going to be me."

_He'll read all your memories._ "It's nothing more than what you offered to do a few days ago when you told me to put that memory charm on you." I counter

"Are you sure you really want to do this?" he asks again

"Yes." I answer, knowing very well what a mess I'm about to get into.

So he instructs me on what to do, how to attempt blocks, and tells me not to be afraid of failure.

He aims his wand at me, and an involuntary shiver goes down my spine when he says the word, "_Legilimens!"_ and at the last possible moment he made eye contact with me, and I saw fear and pity mixed in his green orbs.

Then I feel a force of inexplicable strength burst into my mind, and I have no chance to block it.

Various memories rush through my head. I see myself learning to ride a bike with my brother's help, and then he goes off to college a few weeks later. My rushing to get his letter from the mail slot. Being teased by my classmates about my bushy hair and good grades. Sitting alone at recess reading a book. Geoffrey coming home for Christmas. Putting together a photo album of us. Then suddenly, my memory skips a few years and I find myself receiving my Hogwarts letter-and having Dumbledore explain it all. Writing an excited letter to my brother about it. Getting the letter returned to me stamped, "Killed in Action." Receiving the terrible visit from his Navy people telling us he died. His funeral where I cried on his grave for hours. Going to Hogwarts. Crying myself to sleep at night. Ron insulting me.

Then Harry breaks it off, and I stumble backwards, and I trip over the table. He helps me back to my feet.

"That's alright; nobody ever gets it the first time. At least you know what it's like though. Do you still want to continue?"

"How much did you access?" I ask nervously.

"I saw and heard everything that flashed through your mind, nothing more." He responded, and pauses for a little before adding, "Perhaps we should continue this later."

"NO!" I object. _I'll lose my courage if I don't do this now._

"Are you positive?" he asks looking at me quizzically.

"Absolutely."

"Alright." He says taking a deep breath before he aims and speaks again.

This time he hesitates a little, as if bracing himself for my resistance, and he seems surprised to find none.

The memories are more detailed because he is using more force, since he expected me to resist-which I'm not for reasons unknown to him.

We see the troll attack in great detail, and feel my intense fear for Harry's safety when he's atop the troll. Then we move onto his first Quidditch match. Our suspicion of Snape. Hagrid's "Fluffy" and how much I hate dog drool. The chess match, my fear for Harry and Ron. My confidence in Harry's abilities to defeat Voldemort. Elation at discovering he has succeeded and survived. Going home to no Geoffrey. Intense pain. Meeting Harry at Diagon Alley, overpowering joy. Fear of his expulsion after the flying car incident. Curiosity of the Chamber of Secrets. Fear that Harry was Slytherin's heir. Suspicion as to the cause of Harry's voices. Going to the library-joy at discovering source. Hideous Snake eyes. Exaltation at finding Harry figured it out. Going home to no Geoffrey again. Weeping storm accompanied by intense grief and pain. Going back to Hogwarts, joy at seeing Harry again. Fear of dementors. Fear for Harry during Quidditch game. Suspicion of new firebolt. Turning it over to McGonagall. Harry and Ron's wrath. Guilty feelings and despair. Loneliness, more despair. Weeping storm, refusing to go to Hogsmeade. Attempting to commit suicide. Dumbledore stops me. Tells me about Lily's story. Surprise at Lily's attempt of suicide.

Harry breaks it off, and this time he stumbles back, with fear, disbelief and anger in eyes.

I reach over to help him up, but he shoves my arm aside. "How could _you?"_ he demands angrily.

**A/N**: Another cliffie, well, I certainly am becoming evil…

**LMDGlUVR4EVA**: Sorry, can't fix it right now, or where

**xObserveRx**: Sorry for the long wait, but I have tons of stuff going on right now. I'm glad you liked the chapter, and no it does not end here, Harry and Hermione just don't know how to deal with it as evidenced by this chapter, but they'll have to deal with it sooner or later…

**Gryffindor620**: Unfortunately, Mione's too nice for that. (I would have if I were her though.) However, everyone knows that emotions held in too long can make anyone explode…

**The Gryffindor Drummer**: Thanks for your confidence in me. I'm sorry for the long wait…

**LuvFantasy**: You do say that in nearly every review you idiot!

**harrypotterslady**: Thanks! I really appreciate that!


	14. Headquarters

**A/N**: Sorry Folks! College Applications _do_ take precedence over stories, despite how much I might _like_ procrastinating… Anyways, there will be no review reactions as I am still swamped and it is 10:20 pm. Again, _very_ sorry for lack of updates!

By the way, for those of you who have seen HP IV how was it? (Don't spoil anything I still haven't found a way to get around my parents and see it.) Were there any good shipper scenes? (Just tell me if there were I don't want to know what happened.) Thanks!

**Chapter 13-Headquarters**

_(Harry's POV)_

"How could I what?" she asks with trepidation in her voice.

I look at her like she's a monster or something, "How could you not tell me about my mother! You're my best friend!" I shout angrily.

She looks hurt, but I don't care that much.

"I couldn't tell you without you finding out what I tried to do to myself, and I also couldn't tell you because Dumbledore forbade me to." She replies voice thick with emotion and her tears ready to fall. "This was the only way I could tell you without really telling you."

_Your dad already told me Hermione about you. I guess I never really believed it._ I look up at her, and she is fighting back her tears valiantly, but she is losing the battle. One slips down her cheek, and she angrily wipes it away.

_I had a suicidal for a mother._

I stare blankly at her.

She stares back, "Harry, I am such a coward. I-I'm so sorry." She apologizes while her voice shows the emotion she feels, it is on the verge of cracking.

"I'm sorry Hermione. I'm not really mad at you; it's you who should be mad at me. I'm just a complete idiot-and I can't seem to think of what anyone else is feeling except me. I'm a selfish prat."

She sits down beside me, and wipes her tears away, and puts her arm around my shoulders. I was about to draw away, but I felt so alone and I needed her touch.

She soothes me into a drowsy sleep and I rest my head on her shoulder before I close my eyes.

The next thing I remember is awakening with a jolt to a thunder crack.

There is Dumbledore standing in the center of the room along with Lupin, Moody, Tonks, Kingsley, McGonagall and Snape.

"It is time to go Mr. Potter and Miss Granger." Dumbledore says.

I give him a nice glare for a change, after all-what _else_ has he been hiding from me?

I get up from the couch, and Hermione follows suit, and I notice with satisfaction she's not happy-looking either.

Tonks, oblivious to the tension, waves her wand and our trunks come floating downstairs, completely packed and fastened. Mine has a furious Hedwig confined to her cage on top. Hedwig squawks angrily making sure we know she does not like being transported this way. Crookshanks is retrieved in a similar manner with similar reactions from the outside. "There, you're all packed." She says with a smile, "And it's neatly folded this time." She finishes with a wink at me with her floor-length lime green hair nodding.

Lupin looks at us with a confused expression as if to ask why we're mad at Dumbledore.

McGonagall is whispering something to Snape. Kingsley is in the process of trying to restrain Moody from an extensive search of the premises for spies, and Dumbledore is staring at me with no expression whatsoever on his face.

Snape walks forward and with a coldish sort of command his waves his wand and accios all of our brooms into the room. Each broom flies to its respective owner.

At such at time, one would normally expect me to look at and describe each Order member's broom with great accuracy; however I have too many emotions flying about in me to do that.

Tonks and Kingsley attach the trunks to their brooms and I get Hedwig's cage attached to mine, they were about to put Crookshanks on Hermione's but I stopped them.

"She doesn't need the distraction; this will be her first flight at night." I interrupt

So they gave the cat to Snape who looked like he was going to kill me for it. Crookshanks wasn't too happy with the arrangement either and hissed threateningly at Snape, who to our amusement hissed back.

Kingsley jokes about Snape being a cat Animageus, and Snape favors him with a glare that ends the subject.

"Let's be off then before Alastor decides to change our plans again." Dumbledore jokes.

"_Alohomora!"_ McGonagall commands pointing her wand at the door which flies open and wind rushes in.

Moody was the first to fly out, (after a nervous glance or two) he kicked his broom off the ground and sped out followed closely by Kingsley and Tonks. Then they motioned for Hermione and me to go.

I glanced at her, and motioned for her to mimic me, which she did without second thought, and within seconds we found ourselves outside behind the other three aurors. Then Snape and McGonagall flew out and positioned themselves on either side of Hermione and me. Dumbledore took up the rear. After a few hurried signals, and an anxious glance from Hermione, we were off flying into the night.

The wind blew against my face, and I felt like I was flying Quidditch again…

Sooner than I would have liked I began to recognize landmarks that indicated we were right above London, and quickly approaching Grimmauld Place.

Then Moody and Tonks flew into what appeared to be a small space between 11 and 13 on the street and disappeared. Kingsley followed suit then McGonagall, Hermione and I did so before we could realize what was happening.

We had just flown into Grimmauld Place. I pulled up my broom and landed right beside the other Order members. However, Hermione continued flying and nearly smacked into the wall before managing to turn around at the last moment in a spectacular move that amazed everyone, even Snape who had just entered.

There were claps from everyone and Professor McGonagall leaned in to whisper in my ear, "I think you have a new chaser in the makings right there." She smiled at me and I beamed in return, glad that she approved of my plan to put Hermione on the team.

Dumbledore and Lupin arrived shortly thereafter and we got down to business.

Tonks was dispatched to find something and returned rather quickly to our meeting place in the grand parlor.

The 'Grand Parlor' which is where nearly all order meetings, (after the extendable ears incident as nothing could get past these sinister doors) took place had huge, garish glass doors that were so heavily decorated it was impossible to see through.

The room itself was immense, and the entire thing was crowded with dark wooded furniture with faded overly ornate tapestries and pillows, and a monolithic oak table in the center of the room which was scattered with various maps, lists and diagrams. There was a chandelier weighted down with icicle-like diamonds that looked both haunting and beautiful at the same time. I wonder if those things can kill you if they fall? It cast nearly all the light in the room.

The only other light source was a large white and black marble fireplace that was roaring with its newly lit inferno and flanked on either side by life-sized black dogs that looked surprisingly like Sirius's animagi form.

Dumbledore motioned for us all to find seats and we did so, Tonks took the center stage with Dumbledore. Standing beside her were two house elves I knew only too well…

Dobby and Winky.

"Mr. Potter I believe that this home was bequeathed to you in the will, however, every wizarding family needs house elves. I offered these two the option of working here during the times that you might need them, and they were more than happy to take them. However, they do insist on a paycheck. Five sickles a month and every Sunday afternoon off. If you will accept them, they will help you here since Kreacher has passed on."

I stood up and walked over to them, having to kneel down to their level. "I accept these two houseleves, _if_ they accept me as their master, and one galleon a month instead of five sickles." I smile briefly at them.

Dobby looks over at his friend briefly who looks a little anxious, but Dobby turns to me. "We accept everything Mr. Potter, except the galleon it is too much. Five sickles will be plenty." He contends with modesty.

"No, I insist. It must be a galleon a month because this place is a wretched mess, I mean just look at the state this parlor is in!" Everyone glances around for a better look and seems to notice the mountains of dust in the corners, huge cobwebs on the ceiling. Don't show Ron! Then suddenly Hermione shrieks and hops up on the couch we'd been sitting on.

"**_GIANT RATS_**!" she exclaims in fear as one of them scurries underneath Snape's feet into a hole.

I raise my wand and aim it at the hole, "_Colloportus!" _I shout and it is blocked off.

"See what I mean?"

The houseleves reluctantly shake on the idea, and I find it rather amazing that that is seemingly all we have to do to seal the deal, other than the fact that they have to swear allegiance to the Potter family. Something Hermione and I found completely unnecessary, but Dumbledore and the rest insisted, so it was done. They were sent to clean up whatever they could find that had to do with the Blacks directly and dispose of it, unless it was Sirius's of course.

Then Dumbledore made me sign some documents that officially transferred to ownership of the house from the Black to Potter families. (Apparently the wizarding world likes to have things passed from family to family rather than individual to individual unless in unusual cases.)

Hermione and Lupin were the witnesses and Dumbledore was the lawyer.

Then I decided to make my announcement.

"Since this house is a rather large place for one person to inhabit by themselves I have decided that everyone present, as well as the Weasleys. Will be allowed to choose a room to call their own if they wish, because I do not fancy the idea of living here all by myself. Any redecorating that is needed I will pay for, because heaven knows I have too much money for my own good. The only thing that I ask," I say reaching for a blueprint of the house from the table. "Is that this area," I motion to a wing of the house on the third floor that intersects the rest of the house, "is left to me."

"I think that is a splendid idea!" Lupin exclaims, "However that is going to call for the Weasleys to be present at this meeting." He finishes and everyone turns expectantly to Dumbledore.

"Well, I had not anticipated needing to contact all of the Weasleys for something as trivial as this; however I do have a way to communicate with them." He walks over to the fireplace, and chants a difficult spell underneath his breath, and I half expect all of the Weasleys to come tumbling to of the fireplace, Ron and Ginny being in the forefront.

Unfortunately, that is not what happened. Instead we received the heads of all eight Weasleys floating the fireplace at the same time. (There was no Percy there.)

"What is the occasion Dumbledore?" Mr. Weasley asks pleasantly looking up from whatever he had been doing.

"OH HARRY! HERMIONE!" Mrs. Weasley shouts in ecstasy, and I can imagine her extending her arms out to hug us, even though we can only see her head.

"Molly-this is not the time for greetings that will be later. Dumbledore has something important to say." Mr. Weasley chides.

"Honestly mum, you should know that Harry and Hermione would just owl us if it were something trivial." One of the twins said.

"Shush George!" Mr. Weasley commands

"I'm _not_ George! _That's_ George!" says the twin in an accusing tone turning in George's direction.

"Sorry Fred." Mr. Weasley sighs, "Now what is it you would like to say Albus?"

"Actually, it would be young Mr. Potter here that would like to talk to you." Dumbledore says turning it over to me.

"Please tell me you and Hermione found a way to get us out of here!" Ron exclaims "Fred and George are using me as an experiment!"

One of the twins does something to Ron who yells "Ouch!"

I shake my head, and begin to speak.

"Well, since Si-my godfather has passed on. He left this entire house to me, and since it is rather large I have decided that I would like it if each one of you would choose a room to stay in while you visit me. You can completely re-decorate it however you like and I'll pay for everything."

"Harry, dear, that is far too generous." Mrs. Weasley says

"No it's not, you guys have done so much for me in the past, not to mention that I have way _too _much money for myself"

"Harry," interrupts one of the twins.

"Yes?" I respond

"Is it okay if Fred and I take the east tower? It would be a perfect location for our experiments."

"Sure." I say as I turn to the map of the mansion and scribble their names in it.

"Now," I continue, "This wing here is to be my wing alone and nobody else is allowed to use it without my permission." I motion to the hallway I want which only contains about seven rooms max. (Most of which will be storage).

"I want Hermione to be here." I finish pointing to the smaller end of the hall which intersected my wing. "Unless she has any objections?" I turn to her, worried she wouldn't want to be there, "It has a very old library there…" I finish hoping to tempt her with those musty old books.

She laughs, "I'll go wherever you want me Harry, books or no books." I smile gratefully in return.

"Ronald dear, perhaps it would be best if you did not room on the same floor as your friends." One of the twins says mysteriously.

"Why not?" Ron demands angrily

"Because in case you have forgotten, George and I are rooming in the east tower, which is at the other end of that floor."

"Anyways, we all know how much you dislike spiders and one of our newest inventions we are testing out is the invisible gigantic spider…Can you imagine what would happen if one of those things got loose on our ickle Ronnikins George?" Fred queries as he tries to keep his laughter under control.

"Perhaps I won't be rooming on the third floor after all." Ron says in a scared tone. "Which floor is furthest from _them?_"

"Dungeons with me." Professor Snape cuts in.

"Alright, I think I'll be on the first floor, after all. It's closest to the kitchen." Ron replies happily.

Hermione shakes her head. "Boys." She mutters

Ginny spoke next, "Can I have one of the rooms on the second floor?"

"Sure." I say scribbling down Snape's, Ron's and then Ginny's names in their respective locations.

Bill and Charlie decided to share a room on the first floor, as did Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

Then after goodbyes they all disappeared, and the rest of the order members took rooms on various floors, except mine and Hermione's. McGonagall shared the twins' taste of towers and chose the north tower. Dumbledore was the only one who refused to take one, he said he preferred the school, but thanked me anyway.

All the adults then began to leave but Tonks stopped them, "Will any of you be staying for dinner?" she asked pleasantly.

There were many mumbled excuses from around the room and people tried to get out as fast as possible.

"Come on! My cooking's not _that_ bad!" she protests

Then suddenly Dobby runs in, "There is no need for any of the powerful witches or wizards to cook, because we have already finished a wonderful welcoming feast for all of master's wonderful guests!" he exclaims happily.

Hermione shoots me a look. I turn to Dobby, "Really Dobby, you needn't call me 'master' I would much rather you call me 'Harry' like everyone else."

"But that is the way it is done, it has always been done this way master. Please let Dobby do this, otherwise he would feel very disrespectful." Dobby pleads

I look over to Hermione she sighs and shakes her head. This is one of the _few_ House-Elf battles she has decided to give up.

"Alright Dobby, but we will discuss this later." I compromise.

He happily ignores this and leads us to a dining room I never knew existed where a feast worthy of Hogwarts itself was laid out.

How they managed this I'll never know!

Everyone's jaw drops, including Hermione's.

"Dobby, how about you and your friend come to join us and enjoy your handiwork?" I ask.

"Are you sure master? This is unprecedented in all of wizarding history." He replies astonished.

"Since when have I ever gone along with precedent in my life?" I joke

"Then Dobby will go get his little friend and we will join you shortly." He answers with giddiness.

We all take our seats, and just as I was about to sit down next to Hermione on the side of the table Dobby (who had returned) stopped us.

"Master must sit at the head of the table, and Master's precious Hermy must sit opposite him." He says in slight reprimand.

Hermione reluctantly leaves my side and allows herself to be dragged down to the opposite end of the table and seated, while they do the same to me.

After awkward thanks to the houseleves for the meal we all dig in and enjoy ourselves immensely, well except me.

I felt very isolated all alone at my end of the table and I felt miles away from Hermione. I didn't talk to any of the teachers when they asked me questions, and they eventually gave up. Hermione seemed rather silent too, but when I caught her eye she winked at me with a smile.

Eventually, I was told I must dismiss the table, which I quickly did because I was very eager to go speak with Hermione.

I caught her going upstairs, and we walked up together in silence. Despite the fact that I really wanted to talk to her, I couldn't find the words to speak. She squeezed my hand reassuringly though, and we both smiled.

Perhaps you don't always need words to communicate…


	15. Unexpected Things

Chapter 14-Unexpected Things

(Hermione's POV)

I woke up the next morning feeling absolutely _smothered_ by the large musty blanket that was encased around my body.

The sun was just starting to rise over the trees. Or at least I thought they were trees, but the windows were so grimy it was difficult to tell.

With great effort I tried to throw off the gross blanket, and screeched in horror as it snapped at me. The next minute or so I was struggling to rid myself of the evil, sadistic thing when my door was thrown open and Professor Lupin drew his wand and bellowed something loudly, and the blanket flopped off the bed and scurried underneath it.

I started coughing due to excessive dust inhalation, and he came over to help me up, when a second person came to the door.

It turned out to be a rather groggy Harry whose glasses were askew, with rumpled pajamas and messy hair. "W-What h-happened…" (yawn) "in h-here?" he asks half-asleep. He opens his eyes just in time to see himself smack into my bedpost. "OUCH!" he yelps rubbing his head, then he turns to me with a questioning expression.

"The blanket attacked me," I stated simply, "and thanks to Professor Lupin I wasn't strangled by it."

Harry's eyes go wide, "Where is the blasted thing?" he asks brandishing his wand.

"Under the bed Harry, it's probably dead by now." Lupin says with a laugh, "I think my spell did away with it."

Harry looks under the bed, and grabs something.

He returned triumphantly with the hideous, dusty brown blanket he shook it vigorously and threw it into the fireplace, "_Incendio!"_ he shouted aiming his wand at it.

The blanket burst into flame and instantly the room was filled with a hazy smoke, "Harry, you're not supposed to burn a flamortarbor!" Lupin shouted and grabbed us both to run out of the room and slammed the door behind us.

"Why am I not supposed to burn a flamortarbor? What is it?" Harry asked confused

I responded, "A flamortarbor is a minor type of dark artifact that is often found in old pure-blooded wizarding homes. They were originally invented to strangle unwanted guests in their beds. They reached their height in use around the 1500's, and due to excessive deaths by flamortarbors they were outlawed by the Ministry in 1523. However, not all were recovered-"

"Why can't I burn them though?" Harry interrupted

"They have toxic fumes that helped aide in the strangulation process." I add

"So why didn't you die last night?" Harry inquired

"They are only triggered to start working once the victim tries to remove the flamortarbor." Lupin finishes. He sighs and looks back at the closed door, "We'll have to wait a few hours before that room can be opened up for cleaning."

"Sorry about that Hermione." Harry said sheepishly, "I had not idea that my house was trying to kill you. I guess this means we have to redecorate very soon."

"It's not your fault Harry, but yes, I think we need to start redecorating today." I answered soothingly.

"Well, let's go eat breakfast; I think I can smell it from up here." Lupin said cheerfully.

He preceded us down the stairs and I longingly thought of Ron's intense enthusiasm to reach the meal table. At times it seemed we were growing up too fast and it was Ron who kept us children. Despite the fact that most of the time he was an annoying prat who never did his homework (even when I nagged him to), he was rather like a brother…a little brother at that. We needed him to stay sane, because heaven knows Harry and I can become morose rather quickly.

When we finally reached the kitchen Harry broke the silence, "Knut for your thoughts?" he asked

I turned to face him, "Just missing Ron's humor."

A flash of something clouded his eyes for a second, but before I could place it, it was gone. "Yeah, I know what you mean we're growing up too fast 'Mione. I just wish I didn't have this burden, not only does it weigh on me, but it's changing you and Ron too, and that's just not fair."

"Stop being so noble Harry, you didn't deserve this burden anymore than anybody else did. As for Ron though, he's one thing that will never change…" I finish a small trace of a smile playing at my lips.

Harry for some reason does not respond to this, but instead plunks himself down into a chair and ploughs through the meal on the plate set before him. _Are all males addicted to food!_

I sigh and pick up my fork slowly, reflections running through my head a mile a minute.

_What exactly is happening to me? Why am I becoming possessive of Harry and Ron? Why do I miss Ron so much? Why am I trying to make Harry jealous?_

For someone considered so very intelligent, I was actually rather stupid when it came to emotions and feelings, especially romantic ones. I played with my eggs and stared blankly at a spot on the wall.

Then suddenly I hear a small voice, "Does Mistress Hermy not like the eggs?" Dobby asked distressed.

I look down at him, "No Dobby, they're fine. I'm just thinking…By the way you needn't call me 'mistress,' right Harry?" I asked turning in his direction.

Harry looked up from his newspaper fork stuffed with pancake half-way to his mouth, "What did you say Hermione?"

"I asked whether or not you think it necessary for Dobby to call me 'mistress'?"

"Dobby, I know you meant to be respectful, but I think you're making Hermione uncomfortable." Harry replied.

"But Master Harry, sir! I am honor-bound to call my future mistress by her proper title!" he protested, a rather distressed expression crossing his face.

"What are you implying Dobby?" Harry asked, eyes beginning to narrow.

"That Master Harry is in lo-"Dobby was cut off with Harry's hand clamped over his mouth.

"I never said any such thing Dobby." Harry states sternly.

"But Master Harry has pictures of her all over his forbidden room!" Dobby squeaked nervously.

"I also have pictures of Ron all over 'my forbidden room' as well, and I am by no means gay!" Harry says in a tone of slight reprimand, "Besides, you were not to tell anyone about that room!"

"Master Harry sir, Dobby is most _sincerely_ distressed to see that he forgot an order. Dobby must go punish himself sir." Dobby cried and ran over to the still hot stovetop to place his tiny hands on top of the burners before we could stop him.

"DOBBY!" I shrieked as I ran over and attempted to remove his hands, Harry was not far behind.

Harry finally managed to yank Dobby's blackened hands from the stove, and I ran to the next room to find the magical medical kit.

When I returned Harry was ordering Dobby that under no circumstances was he to **_ever_** hurt himself again for misinterpreting an order.

After some bandaging and spell muttering Dobby's hands were bandaged and Winky came in bearing catalogue after catalogue of decorations for wizarding homes.

I let out a shout of joy, if there was one thing I liked doing it was shopping for things-especially_ books_. (Which of course fell under room decorations!)

Harry and I spent the next few hours deciding on colors, sheets, mirrors (and plenty of books and bookcases for me).

I wrote down a list of every item we wanted, and how much it cost…and was astounded at the price.

For just our wing to be redecorated it would be over _three thousand_ galleons!

"Harry, I think we should cut down on some of this. I mean do you really need a Quidditch closet? I know I don't _need_ some of these books." I said forlornly thinking of how nice it would have been to read _History of Head Boys and Girls at Hogwarts_ or even _Shakespeare, Muggle, Wizard or Squib?_

"Hermione, if love was money than I'd be smothered in it by now. I have too much money for my own use. I could buy out Diagon Alley three times and still have enough money to start my own Quidditch team as well as live like a prince for the rest of my life. You can have anything and _everything_ you want, so can everyone else. So stop worrying!" He chuckled.

I smiled a little, but I still felt guilty about him paying for all this.

He would hear none of it though, and sent off Winky and Dobby under the supervision of Lupin to get the orders, after everyone else got the rudimentary choices down.

Nearly as soon as we had finished Dumbledore knocked on the door, and I opened it for him.

"I would like a word with both of you in the study, now if possible." He says in a serious tone.

Harry and I exchange nervous glances as we follow him out to the study.

The study itself is still in dire need of cleaning and re-decorating, but that was for later. Currently, it was a musty dark room with heavy, ornate furniture whose upholstery had given way long ago; a gigantic carpet with dark green patterns spiraling across it and a large grandfather clock sat between two shaded windows. What surprised me was that it was much like Mrs. Weasley's clock complete with hands for family members, but it had stopped entirely, and to my utmost disgust, the hand which should have been Sirius's was mutilated badly.

"Professor," Harry began, and he turned towards him with a knowing expression, "is this clock repairable?"

He smiled briefly, "Of course. However you should ask Lupin to do that, he will also know where to get new hands because he was always good with clocks, one of his odder habits if I may say so. Right now we have more important things to discuss, am I correct?" he takes a seat in a chair that is bursting at the seams.

Harry sits down in a chair next to mine and silence pervades the room for a little while.

"Well, don't you have a few questions about me and my behavior Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry looks a little taken aback, "Well, yes, I'd like to know why you kept that information about my mother from me?" he finishes in a questioning tone, but I know Harry well enough to know he wasn't happy with Dumbledore yet.

"It did not seem necessary at the time, and I did not wish not unnecessarily burden you. However, I can be and have been wrong. I apologize."

I was glad to see that Harry seemed to accept this with little protest and moved on to his next question, "Will I be continuing Occulmancy?"

"In a sense yes and no. With your permission and Miss Granger's I wish to tutor both of you and two other students privately; you will also have a choice of at least two more electives from any teacher(s) at school. The only requirement is that it must be useful for the war." Dumbledore replies stroking his beard thoughtfully.

"So you will teach me and Hermione Occulmancy with other things? Who are the other two students?" Harry returns with eagerness.

"Yes, Occulmancy being one of many things we will focus on. The other two students I cannot tell you who they are because I am not sure myself yet."

"How can you _not_ know?" I cut in.

"I have a suspicion as to who they may be, but I shall not speak until I am sure."

"When will we know?"

"When I do. Everyone will know."

"How?"

"They will be revealed, just like you two."

"What do you mean professor?"

"It is obvious Miss Granger that you and Mr. Potter are the respective re-incarnations of Rowena Ravenclaw and Godric Gryffindor. It has been shown throughout your school careers; Mr. Potter is very courageous and selfless much like Gryffindor. You are intelligent much alike to Ravenclaw. If I am not correct you nearly ended up in her house?"

"Yes Professor Dumbledore that would leave Hufflepuff and Slytherin right?" I ask

"Correct. The four of you will be the primary fighters against Voldemort, and Slytherin's reincarnate must form a friendship with Harry to break the past's mistakes. They must choose right over wrong in every place where Slytherin did not. Hufflepuff will become your best friend Hermione. It is also likely that the respective gender of the founder will be the same as the reincarnate. It makes everything much easier." Dumbledore finishes.

"Easier how?" Harry asks

Dumbledore just smiles and winks at him, "That is for me to know and you to find out Mr. Potter. After all I'm sure that Miss Granger would not like for me to give you all the answers for that test." He finishes in a knowing tone. "Now, think about your special class and let me know at the beginning of the school year. I like the Weasley Twins new line of edible famous wizards' hats." He stands up without further ado and he walks out of the room.

Harry looks at me with a surprised expression, and silence pervades the room again as the two of us take in what he just said.

Finally Harry speaks, "What is this going to mean for the three of us?"

"What do you mean?"

"Simple Hermione, if I am Gryffindor and you are Ravenclaw that means there must be a female for Hufflepuff's reincarnate and a male for Slytherin's. Clearly Ron is not female-thus ruling out Hufflepuff, and he has nothing against muggle-borns like you and my mother so that rules out Slytherin. Remember how jealous he got of me in fourth year with the tournament and how he became even more incensed when you sided with me? He won't take this well." Harry replies with a sigh.

"Harry, I admit that Ron is jealous of you, I think he always has been, but considering what horrific things you had to go through to get what fame and fortune you have there really isn't any reason for it. I'll try talking to him if you'd like." I offer knowing very well it wouldn't do much good.

"Perhaps we'd better not tell him at all, just say that we're doing head boy/girl duties or something."

"You can't keep up that charade forever Harry, Ron isn't that dense."

"What are you on _his_ side or something all of the sudden?" Harry demands suddenly as he abruptly stands up from his chair.

"No!" I reply quickly, perhaps too quickly for Harry who looked even angrier.

"You know what! I'm sick of this! Ron gets every bloody thing I've ever wanted! A home where he doesn't need to be judged, a huge loving family…and need I remind you he doesn't have an evil dark lord chasing after **_him!..._**" Harry stops suddenly, then adds, "…and now, now he gets **_you_** too." He storms out of the room, and I was too shocked to follow.

_What did I say something?_

A/N: Sorry for lack of updates, reealllly busy! Must go!


	16. Enigmas

**Chapter 15-Enigmas**

_(Harry's POV)_

I woke up the following morning, with no clue as to where I was, so I looked around myself and was surprised with what I saw.

There were pictures scattered all over the desk on which my head had rested, pictures of numerous people. There were also picture frames and glue on the desk, and I realized I'd fallen asleep in a rather uncomfortable chair.

The desk went around nearly the whole room, which wasn't saying much seeing as it was simply a conical tower room. _My secret room Dobby almost told Hermione about yesterday…_

I looked up at the walls to see picture after picture of the most important people in my life smiling back down at me. My parents, Sirius, Lupin, the Weasleys one or two of Dumbledore, Ron and of course and overwhelming selection of Hermione photos. (I confiscated them from Colin Creevy who was trying to make them into a photo album, because it seemed wrong for him to have so many pictures of her.)

_Hermione._ Almost instantly a wave of guilt washed over me, _what ever possessed me to say what I did yesterday…?_

If there was one person that I should never accuse of disloyalty to me, it would be her.

However, the people you love most often tend to be the ones you hurt the most.

_I am never going to do that again to any of my friends…_

After awhile I decided to get up and go get ready for the day when I felt something very strange on my cheek. I reached up to peel it off only to discover I must have accidentally glued a picture to my face. _Sleep deprivation does terrible things to people…_ It was actually one of my favorite pictures until I decided to take a closer look.

It was one of those Creevy photos again. Except this one was taken after the Yule ball fourth year. Hermione and I had decided (in a bout of indulgence towards Creevy) to pose for a picture when we re-entered the common room. Hermione and I had our arms about each other's waists and we were both smiling happily, as with any picture Hermione looked radiant. What upset me was something I did not notice before.

Ginny Weasley was glaring daggers at Hermione in the background from one of the big stuffy chairs. That really worried me, Ginny and Hermione had always seemed to be the best of friends, why was it that she suddenly hated Hermione in this picture? I looked over at the only other Ginny picture I had up in my room as if for reassurance. The photograph pretended not to notice my gaze. I shrugged it off.

_I mean come on, what are the chances that Hermione and Ginny got into a fight? She's probably just mad at someone off the picture…_ I re-glued the picture to its frame and hung it up on the wall. Then after cleaning the glue from my face I proceeded downstairs to breakfast.

Hermione walked over to me when I entered the kitchen, "I just want to say Harry, that whatever it was that I said yesterday-" I silenced her with my finger.

"No Hermione, it's me. I'm afraid I'm not dealing with everything that happened at the end of last year too well. In case you haven't noticed, I'm getting very possessive of you and Ron. Mainly you because I-I" I start to choke up over the words, "I almost lost you." I finish with a whisper.

The sentence seemed to exhaust me so much that I had to lean on her for support, my forehead met hers and she looked straight into my eyes with her dark piercing ones, "Harry, don't blame yourself for it. You know Ron, Sirius and I would follow you to hell and back." She whispers.

I close my eyes for a long time and take a deep breath, "I'll be fine Hermione. Don't worry about me." She looked at me with her I-don't-believe-you-look.

"Really Mione, I just need some time to adjust." I replied but to the both of us it seemed like I was trying to convince me more than her.

At that moment the double doors of the kitchen burst open. "Good morning Harry, Hermione!" greeted Dumbledore with a nod in our respective directions.

As for the two of us, we jumped apart as if we'd been burned. _This is the second time he's walked in on us like this…_

Dumbledore gave me a knowing wink and then gathered his forest green robes up as he sat down to the ancient table where the place automatically set itself with the houseleves' fine handiwork.

"Come, do join me! The pancakes are absolutely delicious! They have chocolate mints in them, my favorite!" Dumbledore looked up from his plate and beckoned us over.

Hermione and I treaded over carefully and sat down, the plates filling themselves quickly, and then Dumbledore broke the awkward silence again by asking us if we'd thought about any lessons yet.

Hermione's face brightened intensely. "Yes, Professor, I was thinking of perhaps taking a physical workout/defense class and perhaps wand mastery with wandless magic and non-verbal incantations. I also really like the idea of dueling however, I think we all need practice-then of course there's occulmancy-"

"Hermione we will study all that in due time, however I asked if there were any obscure branches of magic that you might like to study?" Dumbledore interrupted.

"Obscure magic?" Hermione questions looking somewhat puzzled.

"For instance the ability to enchant objects, become animagi, telepathy, deguiseri…"

"Deguiseri?" I ask Dumbledore very curious and I look between him and Hermione for an answer.

"Deguiseri are basically like a trained form of metamophagi. There are those born with the power to become metamophagi, and then there are those who are not and require a wand to change their forms. However, by stronger wizards and witches it can be done wandlessly, but not without draining one's magical reserve." Hermione quotes like a book.

"Sounds pretty useful." I say before eating a mouthful of bacon that Dobby made.

"Very much so, Harry." Dumbledore mused, "Especially when you can turn yourself into a tree or the like." He said gazing at nothing in particular.

"Are you a desguiserus?" Hermione asks between bites of pancake.

"No Miss Granger, I am one of the lucky few to be a metamorphagus. I can, however, train you two to become desguiseri."

"What about being an Animageus?" I ask eager to get to my favorite part.

"Normal wizards are only able to attempt one animal form if they are exceptionally talented. It is only those whose survival is imperative to the world's well-being that can become more than one animal. It is not entirely clear as to why, just one of those subtle magical benefits of having the weight of the world on your shoulders." Dumbledore was still gazing rather absently off at the wall, and I must say that his narrative confused me greatly.

"Are you saying that we might possibly have more than one form?" Hermione inquired eagerly.

"Yes, but remember, with power comes responsibility and if the two of you and the other reincarnates have this ability it will confirm once and for all your importance in defeating Voldemort." Dumbledore responded and he turned his gaze to us with a sorrowful look.

"It speaks volumes for a society when they send their children to war." He says softly.

"That means you must have two animagi forms as well." I return not caring much about the previous comment.

"I do." He replies with a sigh. "I suppose you wish to know what they are?"

Hermione and I nod vigorously.

"My non-magical form is a mammoth." He stops at our expressions, "No doubt you are surprised at this?"

"Yes." We respond in unison.

"I am a mammoth because it is a close relative of the elephant, one of the smartest creatures on earth, not to mention it is nearly invulnerable to everything." His eye twinkles here. "My other from is very different though, mainly because wizards with two animal forms tend to get opposites, it is a phoenix."

"That's more what I was thinking of the first time." I answer. Dumbledore smiles at me.

"So what do you think mine are?" I ask curious

"Well, one of them is likely to be the symbol of your house." He replies

"So we're both Lions?" Hermione says confused

"No, Harry is probably a lion-you are likely to be a raven."

Dumbledore stands up abruptly, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be off and I shall leave you to decide which classes you'd like to take." He looked like he was about to apparate out when I stopped him.

"Sir," I said grabbing hold of his sleeve, "I highly doubt that the two others you spoke of will include Ron, and I'm worried that he'll feel left out and get jealous especially with the whole head boy/girl, prefect and captaincy stuff."

He turns to look me and Hermione, "I think you both underestimate your friend, he has matured a great deal since the battle at the end of last year-which is both good and bad-he will be jealous for awhile, but he will get over it and become an invaluable resource to you." He pauses and looks sad again, "How can adults call themselves courageous when they send children in to fight those they will not themselves?" With that he was gone with a loud _crack_ and Hermione and I looked at each other trying to digest what he'd just said.

A/N: I know its kinda short, but bear with me, I'm still really busy… Plus lack of update complaints should be forwarded to FFN admin seeing as I have been unable to access this site for nearly a week...


	17. King's Cross

**Chapter 16-King's Cross**

_(Hermione's POV)_

Despite the fact that Harry and I spent the remainder of our vacation studying (much to his dismay) and redecorating the remaining time flew by so quickly I truly was amazed to wake up on the morning of September 1st to have Harry bellowing in my ear to "Get UP!"

For someone usually so somber and who wasn't exactly keen on studying I would never have expected the display he proceeded to give me.

Harry was dancing a crazy little jig around my room in his pajamas and concluded it with a wand-wave that resulted in confetti bursting all over the room.

_I suppose he really does think of Hogwarts as his home…_

He came over to my bedside still grinning like a maniac (the expression must have been frozen on his face or something), "Get up Hermione! We're going back to Hogwarts, back to crazy old Peeves, musty books in the ancient library, exploding potions in the dungeons and QUIDDITCH!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

_Quidditch I should have guessed._ Harry then decided I was not getting up quickly enough and ripped the covers off my bed. Cold air rushed in… "HARRY JAMES POTTER! You'd better run for your _life_ because when I get my hands on you, you WILL be sorry!" I screamed jumping out of bed and grabbing my wand.

Harry didn't need another warning and rushed off disappearing down the corridor before I even managed to get out of my room.

_Damn he's fast…_

By the time I did catch up with Harry, he had that puppy face on that I can never resist. (You know the one he uses when he wants to borrow my potions notes.) Needless to say I did not carry out my threat, nor did I even lecture him; in fact I felt really nervous around him.

By the time we got to the station and on boarded the train Harry and I were acting really awkward around each other. Fortunately, McGonagall found us and told us to report to the prefects' car where she would brief us on our duties.

"Now," she said sternly as she looked at us through her gold-rimmed glasses, "I expect a great deal from the two of you. To be chosen for Head Boy and Girl as sixth years is an honor, but also a curse. The seventh years (the few that remain) will have a difficult time respecting you. Assuming the two of you keep your grades up I believe you will remain heads during your seventh year as well." She paused here to look at us seriously, particularly Harry as if to warn him not to misbehave.

"Professor" Harry began.

"Yes Mr. Potter?" McGonagall replied

"When was the last time a sixth year was chosen to be a head and continued into their seventh year as well?" Harry asked

"I believe Miss Granger could answer that." She returned looking at me intently.

"Albus Dumbledore, well over one hundred years ago Harry. That was because the entire seventh year was eliminated by dark wizards in an effort to close the school." I reply

McGonagall continued, "Now, Head Boy and Girl traditionally run the prefects-however-the new position of Caput Prefectus, or Captain of Prefects, will organize their house's prefects and give you suggestions for patrolling, disciplinary action etc. The position was developed to take some of the over-whelming responsibility off of the Heads shoulders, but seeing as Mr. Potter is Caput Prefectus of Gryffindor this will do little good until we get a new set of Heads. Any questions so far?"

"Yes Professor, who are the other Caput Prefectii?" I ask

"For Hufflepuff there is Justin Flitchy-Fletchy, For Ravenclaw we have chosen Luna Lovegood and Slytherin has Draconis Malfoy." I noticed McGonagall said the last name with clear distaste. "You will deal primarily with the Caput Prefectii, but this meeting on the train will include every prefect. The basic duties of a prefect are to patrol the halls and corridors of the school to find rule-breakers. The position of prefect-no matter how high or low you might be-is still to be taken **seriously**." She paused here to give a stern glare at Harry as if she expected him to do something against the rules right there. "Any abuse of the position will be brought up by a review board, usually where the Head Boy and Girl sit as Judges and Headmaster making the final say."

"For those prefects who do not know the rules, or who seem to easily forget them I have prepared school rulebooks which every prefect should carry when on duty." She waved her wand and a stack of approximately thirty half-inch, brown-leather bound books appeared. "It is highly recommended reading for every prefect, but is required for any new prefects, caput prefectus or head." At this McGonagall stood up and waved her wand at two shields with HB and HG over our heads that I hadn't noticed till now. The HB shield changed from Slytherin's colors to Gryffindor's and the HG one changed from Hufflepuff to Gryffindor as well.

"There are perks to shouldering so much responsibility as well, the two of you will have your own separate rooms now, and will be sharing a common room and bathroom. Under no circumstances are you allowed to let any other student into your dorms, there are serious consequences for doing so." She gave us both a very stern glare. _That has got to be her favorite thing to do._ "When you arrive in the Gryffindor tower you are to walk over the fireplace and in the back you will tap your wand in the pattern of your initials, then a passage will open and reveal your dorms."

I took this opportunity to glance over at Harry who looked really confused, but he said nothing.

"Now, one last thing, as Head Boy and Girl the two of you are on call twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week. If you are needed somewhere your badge (which you must carry everywhere) will start glowing, and you will know where you need to go. Now if you'll excuse me, I must be off." She said as she disapparated with a loud _crack_.

I looked over at Harry again who was moving around the compartment, amazed at the beauty of it.

For the first time I really allowed myself to look at the place, and it was fabulous.

The far wall that had the Head Shields on it was made of nice dark, wooden paneling-probably oak-and had pictures of previous famous heads. I noticed Dumbledore was smiling benignly at us…

The windows were draped with velvet curtains colored a deep wine red with gold tassels to hold them away for the view. There was a matching wood podium with the Hogwarts crest emblazoned on it and two cushy chairs that had our names embroidered on them, also with Gryffindor colors. Sitting opposite the podium were seven rows of four chairs each. I noticed the front row had a chair for each house. _Probably for the Caput Prefectii_.

Beneath the windows rested tables with refreshments, and I moved to divide our stack of thirty rulebooks between the two.

Meanwhile Harry was running his hands over the smooth podium surface with anxiety. "Hermione, are we supposed to give a speech or something? You know I didn't prepare anything. And what was all that nonsense McGonagall was talking about with fires and badges?" He looked at me nervously and I dropped my trunk next to his off in a corner, then I walked over to him and placed my hand on his shoulder.

"Harry, you don't need to worry that much. All we have to do is call attendance, and the list is right here." I stop to pull it our from beneath his cold hands. "Then we give a much briefer version of what McGonagall gave us, hand out the books and then answer any questions they have."

"What about patrols?"

"Well, we can assign three veteran prefects and three rookie ones at random to patrol the train while the Caput Prefectii and we work on making more permanent ones."

"What if I screw up?" he asked. I almost laughed out loud at that, but then I saw he was serious.

"Harry, you won't mess up anything, because I'll be right by your side telling you what to do." I comfort

He gives me a tiny smile, "Just like you've always been."

"Now, Harry I'll go announce we're holding the meeting in fifteen minutes and for everyone to be here."

"Thanks Mione."

I walked out of our compartment and aimed my wand at my throat, "_Sonorus!_" My voice became a like a muggle microphone. _Very weird._ "Will all prefects and Caput Prefectii please report to the Head compartment within fifteen minutes for the prefect meeting." I said. I then returned my voice to normal and walked back into the room.

I surprised to see Harry talking to Dumbledore's portrait.

They appeared to be just finishing up their conversation though, and Harry turned to me.

"Kinda strange talking to the portrait of a man who's still living." Harry commented, "However, he has some instructions and news for us. The Weasleys are back from Siberia or wherever they were, it turns out that Dumbledore came up with a way to portkey them out. Ginny is apparently a new prefect for Gryffindor, and we _have_ to make her patrol with Malfoy." Harry said with a grimace.

"_WHY?_" I asked not wishing anyone on Malfoy, even if he was changed, especially not one of my friends.

"The professor wouldn't say, but he insisted it was important and that Malfoy would cooperate, he didn't seem so sure about Ginny though…"

I sighed, "I suppose Dumbledore will tell us in good time then, however we should probably review our list so we aren't surprised by anybody on it."

The list went in alphabetical order, listing their names, houses, positions and years. The first few names I came across I had no qualms with, but I did notice that there were only two seventh year prefects. _Which makes our job a lot easier._ The problem was one of the prefects was Cho Chang.

I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised really, but ever since the debacle that was fifth year I can honestly say there was little but enmity between us. She hated my close relationship with Harry and I her lack of wits (funny how she's in Ravenclaw isn't it?), superficiality and possessiveness of something that wasn't hers. _Okay, so Harry was her boyfriend, but he was and still is my friend longer than he liked her._

I was jolted out of my reverie by the first trickling of prefects to arrive-mainly the rookie ones. The first Caput Prefectus to arrive was Luna; she was in her typical dreamy state with her bottle cap necklace. I greeted her with a smile and seated her in the Ravenclaw chair lest she try to sit on the windowsill or something.

Then I heard a shout of exclamation from Harry, "RON!" he shouted and dashed over to the blushing redhead. The two embraced in a brotherly hug. I walked over more sedately and shook hands with Ron, but I smiled warmly at him.

"Welcome back Ron! We really missed you!" he smiled and looked and noticed for the first time the long line of badges on Harry's chest and slightly smaller one on mine.

The tension could've been cut with a knife, but Ron took the high road for once, "Congratulations! Best of luck to the both of you-there haven't been sixth years for heads in nearly a hundred years." He said calmly, but his voice seemed a bit strained.

"What's this though?" he said tracing the badge with Gryffindor colors and CP emblazoned on it. "Captain of the Quidditch team? No, that's the 'C' here." He said pointing to another badge.

"A new position Ron, don't worry, we'll explain everything once everyone else is here." Harry replied.

I noticed a few more prefects coming in and decided to direct them to their seats and give Harry and Ron some privacy.

The next person to slide open the door was Ginny Weasley, her flaming red hair pulled up into a severe bun and badge glistening on her chest.

She walked over to me with a tiny smile, "Congrats Herms, knew you could do it." She shook my hand.

I greeted her in turn and asked about her trip, she rambled on for a bit about her brothers and then about how her mother went berserk when she found the badge in her letter. That was why she was wearing her 'old lady hairstyle' because her mother wanted her looking professional to impress the new heads.

"Which shouldn't really be too difficult seeing as you and Harry have got it. Ahh…Harry. Do you know if he's till going out with Cho Herms?" Ginny asked staring over at an oblivious Harry who was joking with Ron.

Suddenly felt like I had been stabbed in the back, and I couldn't explain why.

"I say Herms, what's gotten into you, you don't normally zone out when people talk to you." Ginny invaded my thoughts.

"Nothing Ginny, just…nervous that's all." I lied and migrated towards the door, the next person to enter was Malfoy. _I have never been happier to see that git in my life…_

"So Malfoy, congratulations on Caput Prefectus." I said as politely as I could with a forced smile I extended my hand.

He looked at me as if I'd finally lost my mind. _Something he's been predicting since first year._

For a second I thought he was going to draw his wand and hex me, but his expression softened a little-for only a moment mind you. He looked around the compartment, saw nobody looking, and extended his hand and shook mine. He yanked it back very quickly though. "Congratulations on Head Girl Granger, and tell Potter I give him my congratulations on his positions as well." Malfoy then walked off to plant himself gracefully on the Slytherin Caput Prefectus chair where he lounged munching on a chocolate éclair.

I was so surprised with Malfoy's civil exchange that I failed to notice the snobby Ravenclaw prefect that bumped into me.

"Really geek-girl you should watch where you're going…" drawled Cho.

"And you should be more respectful of your new head girl." Cut in a strong male tenor that I knew so well. _Harry_.

He grabbed my shoulder and pulled me away up to the front of the car.

Somewhere along the line the rest of the prefects had arrived and seated themselves. Many were discussing the upcoming year (and muttering no doubt about us); some like Ron were stuffing their faces like it was the last meal they'd eat.

Harry muttered something and pointed his wand into the air, three purple firecrackers exploded. _Just like his mentor…_ Needless to say, mister show-off got everyone's attention.

"I would like everyone's attention please." Harry said, gripping the edges of his podium as I sank into my comfortable chair.

All eyes fastened on him. _I suppose he's used to that by now._ "As many of you know, I am Harry Potter, and yes, I do have a scar. Some laughter here. The reason I'm here though, is not to give a celebrity speech, but talk about the new school year and our part in it. I would like to congratulate everyone in this room for all their hard work which has earned you the badges that hang on your robes right now. However, there are some things going on a little differently this year. For instance, many of you know that I am the new Head Boy. This is an honor that is rarely if ever given to sixth years, and usually represents the dire straights we are in.

"First of all, as many of you have noticed, there are four colored chairs up front representing our four houses. These chairs are reserved for the new prefect heads-or Caput Prefectii as my friend would like to call them. He turned to smile at me. The position was made to relieve some of the stress on the heads. Normal prefects will bring up any questions, requests and problems to their respective Caput. If it is serious enough, they will bring it to us. Now, I'd like to turn this meeting over to one of my best friends and partner, Miss Hermione Jane Granger, the new Head Girl."

Lots of clapping ensued, but I noticed certain portions did not. I slowly stood up from my comfortable chair with my list.

"Congratulations again on your selection, however, we do need to take attendance now." Some laughter ensued and I looked back at Harry who was turning red in his seat, I gave him a quick wink.

I proceeded to take attendance, everyone was here thankfully. I didn't want to write anyone up for missing their first meeting.

Harry and I then took turns summarizing what McGonagall said. It was rather strange; we ended up completing each other's sentences. _I guess we know each other too well_.

I then used my wand to pass out the books, assigned six prefects to walk the corridors and dismissed the meeting.

The Caputs, Harry and I then sat down with a few sheets of parchment and began to make the lists.

A few eyebrows were raised when Malfoy and the youngest Weasley were written down as partners for the watch by Harry, but nothing was said. Before we knew it the list was finished and after a few questions both Luna and Justin departed.

Malfoy stayed behind, much to our surprise.

"You know," he said staring out the window at the countryside, "I did-did try once…I wanted to be your friend P-Harry." He said in the most vulnerable voice I've ever heard as he turned to Harry.

I was surprised to see that he was about to cry, "I want to change Harry. Dumbledore says you two can help me. I know you aren't going to trust me immediately, and after everything I've done to you I'd be surprised if you even talk civilly to me. What my father did last summer to me I cannot even bring myself to describe. Suffice to say I have seen the error of my ways-or the paths my father chose for me." He paused again to take a deep sigh as he ran his fingers along the windowsill and up the curtain edges.

"I want to prove to you that there is such a thing as a good Slytherin, and more importantly that I am _not_ my father. I do not ask to be your friend, not yet, but I ask to have a truce and a chance to start over." He offered his hand to Harry.

Harry stared at him for a very long time, until I thought he was going to reject him, but finally Harry broke is gaze, "I accept. However, you must realize that if you betray us I shall be the first to punish you-and you will regret it." Harry said sternly.

I watched as the two enemies shook on their truce and let out a breath that I didn't know I had been holding.

Malfoy-or Draco as I was supposed to call him after this-left and Harry turned to me.

"If this is a foreshadowing of the coming year it will definitely keep us on our toes." He said with a solemnity, which knowing Harry didn't last that long. He burst out laughing, and I soon joined him.

"So what's all this nonsense McGonagall was talking about earlier?" Harry asked again as we plopped down into our respective chairs.

"Harry there are many secrets not even the Marauder's Map can reveal about Hogwarts."

"Really? Explain yourself." Harry said in a teasing voice as he leaned forward with mock interest.

I yanked the pillow from behind me and swatted him over the head with it.

After our full-fledged pillow fight died down I explained that, "Just like the staircases the rooms of the Head Boy and Girl move-but only once a year and connect to the dormitories of their respective students. Since of course, being a head was a privilege the founders made it as difficult as possible to enter a head's dorm from the common room of their house.

"Of course, the heads are immune to this danger, but only if they carry their badge-which we have to do anyway. Thus, stepping through the fire would not harm us. As for glowing badges, only the teachers or Caput Prefectii can call us and we know where to go simply through mind contact." I finished my little lesson to see Harry grinning up at me with his hair sticking out in fifty directions.

"Where do you learn all this?" he asks

"Honestly, one would think you'd know the answer to that by now, _Hogwarts, a History_ of course." I replied.

"You know, one of these days I'm really going to have to read that book." He mused before tossing another pillow at me.


	18. Welcome Back

**Chapter 17-Welcome Back**

_(Harry's POV)_

Before I knew what was happening the train was screeching to a halt in front of the Hogsmeade train station.

Hermione and I grabbed our trunks and placed them into the growing pile of student gear. We left Hedwig and Crookshanks there as well after an encouraging word to both of them.

Before I knew what was happening Hermione and I were engulfed in a sea of red hair.

After I succeeded in pulling a rather over-eager Ginny off of me I turned around only to find myself face-to-face with the twins, Fred and George Weasley.

"Well Harry, it looks as if you somehow managed to fool Dumbledore and McGonagall into giving you those badges, good work mate!" one of the twins clapped me on the shoulder with a conspiratorial smile.

"Don't be silly Harry earned those badges!" Hermione protests.

"No he-" the other twin started only to interrupted by Ron

"As much as I would love to enjoy this argument, we really should be finding some coaches before we get stuck with Malfoy or someone equally worse." He pointed out sagely.

"Too true." Ginny replied.

I noticed on the way up to the coaches Ginny was clinging to me in a rather annoying fashion, talking about her ex-boyfriends. _Remind me why does she think this topic will appeal to me?_

"Ginny" Ron says waving his hands in front of her face returning us both to the current world.

"Yes Ron?" she replies sweetly

"Stop tagging along with me and Harry, go find you friends and get into their coach."

"I want to go in your coach though! Why don't you make Fred and George find someplace else?" she argues crossing her arms with a frown.

"Cause all their friends have graduated you twit! Now scram!" Ron replied his voice rising in anger.

I had a feeling I should have stood up for Ginny against Ron, but after her endless monologue concerning Michael and whomever else she's dated I felt no sympathy.

"Why don't you ever make Hermione go find her friends!" she stormed

Hermione whirled around from her position in a coach's doorway, an expression of utter surprise and hurt on her face. Ron and Ginny ignored this.

"Ginny you know the answer to that." Ron growled.

"FINE! I'M LEAVING!" Ginny screams angrily with a scathing glance in Hermione's direction she left.

"Sisters." Ron grumbled as he hopped into the coach and held open the door for me.

The whole ride up I refused to look out the window because of the thestrals. Hermione was holding a book very close to her face, obviously reading.

Ron and the twins were talking in muffled tones, so I sat in my little corner smushed up against the carriage wall, thinking about the happenings on the train.

All too soon I was jerked out of my reverie and was pushed out of the carriage by the twins who were eager to get back.

Ron and Hermione waited for me and huddled close on either side of me, probably in an effort to keep warm for it was rather chilly and windy out now that the sun had gone done. I was rather grateful for this because it gave me even less of a chance to see those strange animals.

I have never been so glad to arrive in the Great Hall in my life, it was nice and warm there was also the familiar sight of gold place settings and food dishes waiting to be opened. The drab and musty sorting hat sat upon the traditional stool in front of the teachers' table where every staff member except McGonagall and Hagrid sat.

The three of us grabbed seats right next to each other and we were greeted by many of our old classmates: Dean, Seamus, Neville, Lavender, Parvati and more.

Soon Professor McGonagall marched into the hall and a trail of first-years stumbled in after her.

Ron sniggered, "They just seem to shrink every year."

Hermione looked affronted, "Honestly Ronald. You are a prefect, try to behave like one. We were that small once too."

"Were not! There is no way I could have ever been _that_ miniscule!"

"Be quiet you two, they're about to start the sorting." I interrupted.

After another song by the hat which I didn't pay much attention to

Professor McGongall unrolled her scroll and called the first name, "Arundel, Katelyn!"

I stole my first glance at Snape since returning. He shot me a withering look and turned his greasy head to watch as the little girl sat down on the chair. _Some things never change._

Katelyn was the first Ravenclaw.

"Asung, Kim" became a Slytherin.

Our first new Gryffindor was a small mousy-haired young boy named Louis Brandenburg.

The rest of the sorting I didn't get to see because Hermione suddenly nudged me.

"Harry, we forgot to come up with passwords for the house dormitories!" she exclaimed.

So she and I began to scribble down some random words until we came up with _Henbane_ for Slytherin, _Hippogriff_ for Gryffindor, _Mandrake Root _for Ravenclaw, _Ebony_ for Hufflepuff and _Sorcerer's Stone_ for the Head rooms.

We were just in time to see Zachias, Yolanda become a Hufflepuff.

Then Professor Dumbledore stood up and began to talk, "Welcome to Hogwarts our new group of first years and welcome back to our veteran students! I intend to make this our best school year yet, so we have new activities planned, but first we must discuss our more serious announcements.

His amber robes glinted gold embroidery in the candlelight and he seemed to wink at me through his half-moon glasses, but it was difficult to tell because of the distance. "Our caretaker, Mr. Filch, asks me to remind all students that the Forbidden Forest is forbidden still, and with good reason. Perhaps some of our other students should keep this in mind as well! Now, I have also been asked to announce that there is a list of contraband items not allowed in this school now posted to his office door. Or if you would prefer I believe Misseurs Frederick and George Weasley could recite the list from memory for you seeing as nearly all of their products are on it.

"Next. There has been an unusual increase in the student population at Hogwarts over the years so to alleviate some of the pressure on the Head Boy and Girl we have created a new prefect position. It is called the 'Caput Prefectus' and there is one for each house. All prefects must answer to their house Caput. For Slytherin we have Mr. Malfoy if he will please rise." All eyes turned to the Slytherin table where Draco stood alone amidst a sea of green his platinum blond hair reflecting the candlelight due to excessive gel or something. There was a round of applause and then Dumbledore motioned for him to sit.

"We have appointed Mr. Potter to oversee the Gryffindor house." I stood up, a little embarrassed to have everyone clap for me. I sat down as soon as Dumbledore let me. "Following we have Miss Lovegood for the Ravenclaw house." I shot an encouraging smile at Luna who only stood up after one of her house mates shoved her.

"Last but not least we have Mr. Finch-Fletchly for Hufflepuff." After the applause died down Dumbledore continued again, "Lastly, but most importantly. Due to poor management of the school when I was absent last year we have lost much of our current seventh year body, and as a result of this our new head boy and girl are from the sixth year class. If Mr. Harry Potter and Miss Hermione Granger from Gryffindor will rise please." I stood for a second time that night rather awkwardly, and was happily seated as soon as Dumbledore announced the feast was to begin.

Ron asked if I would pass him a tureen of stew while Hermione began to chat with Parvati about Transfiguration.

Fred and George set off firecrackers in a first year's hat which succeeded in blowing it off the poor student's head and leaving a black scorch mark in their hair. Snape, who unluckily happened to be wandering around gave them both detention and subtracted fifteen points from our house after making Ron escort the blubbering child to the infirmary.

As the feast was ending Hermione slipped up to the teachers' table to give them the passwords and then Dumbledore announced that we were to have a Yule ball again this year and that there would be a ball for the sixth and seventh year students at the end of the year.

The feast ended after that and then Hermione, Ron and I set off for the Gryffindor dormitory.

We were greeted by the Fat Lady who was wearing some sort of Egyptian dress and attempting to make a snake bite her so she could die a dramatic death.

"What are you doing now?" grumbled Ron who was not in a mood for being prevented from falling onto his bed and sleeping like a log after such a grand feast.

"Trying to die like Cleopatra did." She answered as if it was the stupidest question in the world.

At this point a crowd was gathering, and Ron turned to me, "Well, you're Head Boy, tell her the password so we don't have to stand out here in the cold all night watching her talk to a snake."

"Hippogriff." I said steadily

"Wait just a moment, I'm sure it'll work this time." The fat lady replied.

"HIPPOGRIFF!" Ron roared.

"Alright, alright." She said testily, "They ought to teach you some manners at this school."

She swung open to reveal our familiar and welcoming common room.

"See you upstairs Harry I'm knackered." Ron yawned

"Uhh…Ron I have a different dorm now." I swallowed nervously, hoping he wouldn't make a scene.

There was a long pause as the rest of the Gryffindors filed around us and finally Ron said, "Oh. Right…See you then." in a quite voice. Then he marched up the stair to the boys' dorm.

It felt very weird not to be following his brilliant red hair up the stirs as I had countless times before.

Hermione seemed to voice my thoughts, "I'm going to kind of miss sleeping in the room with the others."

"Me too." I said in a tired voice.

"Well," she replied appraising me, "You look as tired as I feel, it's a good thing we don't have patrol tonight. Let's go."

She walked over to the fireplace and into it, with no trouble I took one last glance at my chest to see my badge still there before I too joined her.

It was a little crowded with Hermione and I standing shoulder to shoulder in the small passage that lay behind the fireplace.

She tapped her wand out against the wall and with a sparkling blue stream of letters tapped out her initials and motioned for me to do the same.

"Sorcerer's Stone." We said in unison and the stones glided out of the way, just like the bricks at Diagon Alley.

"Wow!" said Hermione as she and I stepped foot inside the cozy common room which was rather similar to the one we'd just left.

Two overstuffed chairs and a couch sat in a semi-circle around the fireplace which we'd just stepped out of. There was a low coffee table set with steaming mugs of mulled cider and two desks with chairs along the walls. Between the desks were a few shelves of what Hermione assured me were priceless and very rare books that weren't even in the Hogwarts library. Off to the right was a grandfather clock that told time as well as showing the specific location of our other head. The locations read: Quidditch, Charms, Potions, Hospital, Transfiguration, Home, Defense against Dark Arts, Headmaster's Office, Library, Patrolling, Other and Danger.

Right now both our hands were labeled 'Home.'

There was no door out of the room as I saw though, so I asked Hermione.

"Where is the door leading to our dorm rooms?"

"Honestly Harry. I think I'm going to make you read _Hogwarts, a History_ before first term's over if you keep this up!" she laughed

"Well, you are telling me nearly everything in it." I retort

"Harry," she said starting to get serious, "Look, this is important. You need to keep your grades up this year to retain this position. I really don't want anyone else to be Head Boy, and I'd rather not give up my position. Please promise me you'll take your studies more seriously ok?"

I looked at her pleading face and relented, "However, you will definitely need to tutor me to keep me on track, ok?"

She agreed and then revealed that if you tapped the four edges of the center bookcase it revolved around to reveal another short passage lined with tapestries and a board on which Hermione posted the prefect rounds. At the end of the hall there was a door leading to the bathroom and the door to the right was my room and the door on the left she said was hers.

"Now, when do you want to take your shower Harry?"

I was a little befuddled by this.

She must have guessed, "Harry, we're sharing a bathroom and personally I like my privacy. You're not sharing a bathroom with fifteen other boys anymore."

Her words brought a blush to my cheeks.

"I usually shower when I get up."

"When is that?"

"Six."

"Alright, I'll shower at five-thirty." She returned. "Now, We can explore more tomorrow I suggest we sleep."

"I'll second that motion Miss Granger." I replied cheekily

She swatted me on the shoulder with a smile and the two of us parted to get some much needed rest…

**A/N**: Sorry about lack of updates!


	19. Sixth Year Begins

**Chapter 18-Sixth Year Begins**

_(Hermione's POV)_

I woke up the following morning to a very obnoxious screeching sound only to find out it was that stupid alarm clock my father had bought me in Diagon Alley.

You see, my father is just as obsessed with wizards as Mr. Weasley is obsessed with muggles. So somehow he managed to wander into a junk shop in Diagon alley that sold this obnoxious alarm clock. It was actually a little watch attached to a cage, the watch allowed you to select the time you wanted it to go off, and then at the appointed time a small little mallet started hammering a screech beetle, which in turn started screeching at the most horrible manner until you shut it off by pressing the clockface. This is turn triggered a small thimbleful of auto-charmed refilling beetle food to fall into the beetle's cage.

I would never have bought something like this for myself, but my father insisted I bring it to school so I would never be late for class. (Not that I usually am anyway.) It would have hurt his feelings not to, so I did.

So I shut the alarm off and rummaged through my dresser until I found were I laid out my toiletries the night before and walked into the bathroom to take my bath.

However, I was absolutely astonished by the beauty of such a simple room.

Amidst the usual white marble stones of a Hogwarts bathroom, there were other stones that were painted with the most brilliant colors depicting famous scenes from the lives of the founders and the school itself. Then, the one window in the place was a stained glass one emblazoned with the Hogwarts crest. One might think all these gleaming paintings a little gaudy, but whomever designed this bathroom knew just how to do it to make it look nice.

After I got over the shock of the pictures I started to lay out my things in front of the mirror.

"My. My you really are an ugly little thing." Said a shrill feminine voice that sounded like an odd cross between Rita Skeeter's and Professor Umbridge's.

I looked around in shock to see who was speaking, and my eyes finding nobody, finally rested on the mirror. _There were clearly many talking mirrors in this school._

"I wasn't asking you about my appearance thank you very much." I retort nastily.

"Poor thing! Can't stand the truth can you? You know, the last head girl they had in here was a stunningly beautiful blonde Hufflepuff. She was right brilliant too, but I suppose your intellect matches your face and your hideous hair doesn't it?" the mirror replied spitefully.

"Shut up!" I said menacingly.

After the little debacle with the mirror I proceeded to hang one of the towels over it. The mirror screeched in indignation, but I ignored it.

I took my bath, then left the bathroom, with the towel still over the mirror.

Harry woke up a few moments later and entered the bathroom without saying a word to me. He looked almost zombie-like with his hair a royal mess and his glasses hanging on by one ear his eyes half-closed.

After another few minutes he called out to me, "Hermionyyy…why's there a towel over the mirror?"

"Why don't you ask the mirror?" I reply with a tiny laugh.

Seconds later I hear Harry roaring at the mirror, "SHUT UP YOU IDIOT THING! HERMIONE IS NOT UGLY! MY MOTHER WAS NOT STUPID AND MY FATHER WAS NOT AN ARROGANT PRICK!" I think I might have heard some breaking glass, but I wasn't positive…

I decided to go to the common room and wait for the boys with my new stack of schoolbooks.

Harry was the first to arrive, not-so-skillfully hiding a hand behind his back and his bag of books slung over his shoulder.

Ron stumbled down the stairs moments later as Harry flopped down next to me.

Unlike Harry who looked at least half-awake, Ron clearly wasn't even that.

His hair was soaking wet as if one of his roommates had tried shoving him in the shower to wake him up. His eyes were glued shut and when he fell at the bottom of the stairs he was still in his pajamas which were dripping.

"Looks like Dean got fed up with Ron's snoring again and shoved him in the shower to attempt to wake him up…when's he going to learn that never works?" Harry said a bit sleepily himself.

He rose lazily to his feet and aimed his wand at Ron.

"_Portare!_" Instantaneously Ron was clothed in brilliant orange _Chudley Cannons_ Quidditch robes.

"Harry!" I laugh, "he can't go to class like that!"

"Well its better than soaking wet pajamas." Harry slurred, "Here, help me grab an arm he said kneeling down to Ron as he grabbed his left arm.

I followed his instruction, "Do you know when he'll wake up?"

"Maybe breakfast, but if he eats too much again he'll pass out until Snape pours molten owl droppings on him again."

"Harry!"

"Don't look at me; it was Snape who did it. You were…asking Flitwick a question just before class at the time."

"No wonder Ron was late to class that day…"

"Does he even have potions with us this year though?"

"Don't know, didn't think to ask him…" mumbled Harry as we entered the Great Hall, Ron slung over our shoulders.

Fortunately, we were fairly early, despite Ron's hindrance and there weren't many students to see him in this state.

However, Fred and George were there sitting at the Gryffindor table guffawing loudly at the three of us.

"Was ickle Ronnikins thinking when he got dressed this morning?" Fred laughed

"Apparently not. Can't even see that those robes go horribly with his hair." George retorted.

Then they mercifully decided to come over and relieve us of Ron.

"Honestly Hermione, they say you're supposed to be the brightest witch at Hogwarts, but you and Harry keep thinking like muggles. If this keeps up I don't know how we're going to defeat You-Know-Who!" said Fred

His brother promptly raised his wand and pointed it at a slumping Ron.

"_Mobilicorpus!_" George said firmly and his brother rose in the air, hovering over the Gryffindor table.

Harry and I were just taking our seats when Snape wandered by again. _He always shows up at the worst times!_

"Mr. Weasley!" Snape hollered, "Care to tell me _why_ the youngest male member of your abnormally large family is hovering in the air, trained on your wand?"

George was startled enough to lose concentration, and Ron fell face-first into a dishful of scrambled eggs. Fred erupted in laughter at the sight of Ron waking up to a face full of eggs.

Snape started yelling at the twins and Harry and I tried to fish Ron off of the Gryffindor table. It was rather messy; Ron was covered in eggs and maple syrup with an entire stick of butter sticking out of his collar. Harry's glasses were speckled with hash and he was peeling a pancake off his robe. As for me I seemed to have been lucky enough to get the danishes stuck in my hair which was already a mess.

Snape was about to award us all detention for a month when McGonagall and Dumbledore showed up.

"Professors, these students have been on the verge of starting a food-fight in the Great Hall. I would normally blame Potter for inciting this rebellion, but it seems to be entirely the fault of these two ruffians." Snape replied grabbing both squirming twins by the collar.

"Severus, I would like to see what the students have to say for themselves before jumping to conclusions." Dumbledore said sagely.

After Harry explained the entire mess it was chalked up to a mishap and Dumbledore and McGonagall walked off after she handed us our schedules. Snape waited until they were out of earshot to give both twins detention and he also subtracted five points for each of us for 'carelessness.'

"What a slimy git!" Fred mumbled under his breath as he and his twin went about cleaning up the table.

"Just finished scrubbing all his dirty cauldrons for the new school year last night, and now he's giving us _another_ detention!" George exclaimed.

"The injustice of it all!" snorted Fred.

Meanwhile Harry, Ron and I managed to _scourgify_ ourselves. Then Ron finally noticed he was wearing his cannons robes.

"When did I get into these?" he asked amused

"You didn't Dean shoved you in the shower with your PJ's on again, I had to change you." Harry replied.

"You know, one of these days Dean's gonna get it! I'll shove him in the shower with clothes on and see how _he_ likes it!" Ron vowed all the while shoveling food onto his plate.

I ignored their boyish rants and compared our three schedules:

**Name: Hermione Granger Name: Harry Potter Name: Ronald Weasley**

Monday: Monday: Monday:

**1**:0800-1000 **1**:0800-1000 **1**:0800-1000

Transfiguration Transfiguration Transfiguration

McGonagall McGonagall McGonagall

**2**:1000-1200 **2**: 1000-1200 **2**:1000-1200

Charms Charms Charms

Flitwick Flitwick Flitwick

**3**:1300-1500 **3**:1300-1500 **3**:1300-1500

History of Magic History of Magic Divination

Binns Binns Trelawney

**4**:1500-1700 **4:**1500-1700 **4**:1500-1700

Care of M. Creatures Care of M. Creatures Care of M. Creatures

Hagrid Hagrid Hagrid

Tuesday: Tuesday: Tuesday:

**1:**0800-1000** 1**:0800-1000 **1**:0800-1000

Transfiguration Transfiguration Transfiguration

McGonagall McGonagall McGonagall

2:0800-1000 2:0800-1000 2:0800-1000

Transfiguration Transfiguration Transfiguration

McGonagall McGonagall McGonagall

3:1300-1500 3:1300-1500 3:1300-1500

Herbology Herbology Herbology

Sprout Sprout Sprout

4:1500-1700 4:1500-1700 4:1500-1700

History of Magic History of Magic Study Hall

Binns Binns

Wednesday: Wednesday: Wednesday:

1:0800-1000 1:0800-1000 1:0800-1000

History of Magic History of Magic Study Hall

Binns Binns

2:1000-1200 2:1000-1200 2:1000-1200

Herbology Herbology Herbology

Sprout Sprout Sprout

3:1300-1500 3:1300-1500 3:1300-1500

Potions Potions Divination

Snape Snape Trelawney

4:1500-1700 4:1500-1700 4:1500-1700

Def. Against D. Arts Def. Against D. Arts Def. Against D. Arts:

Moody Moody Moody

Thursday: Thursday: Thursday:

1:0800-10001:0800-10001:0800-1000

Care of M. Creatures Care of M. Creatures Care of M. Creatures

Hagrid Hagrid Hagrid

2:1000-1200 2:1000-1200 2:1000-1200

Herbology Herbology Herbology

Sprout Sprout Sprout

3:1300-1500 3:1300-1500 3:1300-1500

Charms Charms Charms

Flitwick Flitwick Flitwick

4:1500-1700 4:1500-1700 4:1500-1700

Charms Charms Charms

Flitwick Flitwick Flitwick

Friday: Friday: Friday:

1:0800-1000 1:0800-1000 1:0800-1000

Def. Against D. Arts Def. Against D. Arts Def. Against D. Arts

Moody Moody Moody

2:1000-1200 2:1000-1200 2:1000-1200

Def. Against D. Arts Def. Against D. Arts Def. Against D. Arts

Moody Moody Moody

3:1300-1500 3:1300-1500 3:1300-1500

Potions Potions Divination

Snape Snape Trelawney

4:1500-1700 4:1500-1700 4:1500-1700

Potions Potions Study Hall

Snape Snape

Saturday :Saturday:

1:0800-1200 1:0800-1200

Specialty Classes Specialty Classes

Dumbledore Dumbledore

2:1900-2200 2:1900-2200

Specialty Classes Specialty Classes

Dumbledore Dumbledore

I looked at the bottom of my schedule to see a note from Professor McGonagall to come see her to discuss my academic schedule after dinner at eight o'clock today. _I suppose she's going to tell me why I don't have Arithmacy or Ancient Runes on my schedule._

After perusing our schedules together, and Harry bemoaning the fact that Ron would not be enduring Snape's torturous class with us we all fell to eating our meals. My curiosity got the better of me though, and I asked Ron how he'd done of his OWLS, and soon wished I hadn't.

Ron's face fell. "I really disappointed Mum. I know there were interfering circumstances with some of the tests, but she won't take that for an answer. I got fewer OWLS than even Fred and George."

"Come on, they really couldn't have been _that_ bad." Harry encouraged, "We both studied Hermione's notes and she's brilliant!"

My face flushed at Harry's praise but I was looking with concern at Ron. "Correction mate, _you_ studied Hermione's notes. I was making Quidditch strategies on scraps of paper hidden between the books and _pretending_ to study." Ron sighed. "So much for being Head Boy and Quidditch Captain."

Harry turned really red. "I'm sorry Ron, I-I never knew you wanted it that badly."

Ron flushed as well, "Naw mate. If anybody deserves it, it's you. I really rubbed the prefect badge in your face last year, sides everybody knows Herms would throttle me after spending five hours in a dorm together. At least you have a chance of surviving the year."

Harry and I laughed lamely at his joke and shared a quick glance. Then Ron broke in, "Well, we'd best be off to Transfiguration, no need to anger McGonagall this early in the year."

He was about to march off to the classroom when Fred pointed out he had no books and was in Chudley Cannons Quidditch robes still. After a menacing glare in Dean's direction Ron set off for the dormitories to change and get his things. He told us not to wait for him.

We stood up to gather our things and set off, however, the new awkwardness between us had returned and neither Harry nor I knew what to say the entire walk down to McGonagall's class.

Being the first to arrive, fifteen minutes early, she allowed us to choose our seats with a tiny smile. Harry and I laid out our things next to each other on the bench, and McGonagall flicked her wand at the board and notes concerning our summer homework instantly filled the board.

Students began to trickle in slowly, and then in torrents as the minute hand grew closer to the top of the hour. Ron was one of the last to arrive and slide in next to us clearly out of breathe with his tie askew and robe on backwards. Harry stifled a laugh and I shook my head.

McGonagall started the year off with her typical lecture about the importance of Transfiguration, preparation for NEWTS, possibility of becoming Animagi etc. Even though I was taking copious notes they were going in one ear and out the other.

_What is that smell?_ Whatever it was, it was really distracting. It was like the smell of the Quidditch field after a big rainstorm mixed in with aftershave and fudge treacle. _Damn…aftershave…it's got to be a boy._ I started to panic. _This is NOT happening! I repeat this is NOT happening to Hermione Granger in the middle of Transfiguration!_

"Miss Granger, I do believe you can provide us with the proper answer…unless you have become _distracted_?" McGonagall said sternly.

"I'm sorry Professor…" I began, trying to think of a good excuse. I could see Ron's jaw hit the floor in my peripheral vision. "I was just copying down quickly glancing over my notes what you'd said about the steps to transfigure large mammals and I missed your question." I lied, hoping she wouldn't realize it.

"I asked which mammal was the most difficult to transfigure and why?" she repeated with an air of mild annoyance.

"The animal most difficult to transfigure depends on the wizard doing the transfiguring. Each individual has their own strengths and weaknesses which often translate into Transfiguration. Someone who is superb at flying for example I glanced nervously in Harry's direction would more easily transfigure any animal into a fast-moving one. Particularly if it flies, for instance a cheetah or a phoenix." I reply securely.

"Miss Granger is correct; however might I add Miss Granger that nobody has successfully transfigured a phoenix since Godric Gryffindor himself." Professor McGonagall finished and she turned to continue her lecture and I brought my pen back to the page when Ron decided to whisper in my ear.

"How'd you do that Herms? You were totally out I saw the dazed look in your eyes, and then you fake McGonagall and answer correctly!"

"Shut up Ron!" Harry hissed as his pen scratched against the rough parchment, "This is Hermione you're talking about!"

"I didn't ask you…" Ron growled

"Was there something you'd like to add Mr. Weasley?" McGonagall inquired austerely

Ron turned red for the second time today. "No Ma'am." He mumbled sinking into his seat.

"Then I suggest you take more notes like your compatriot Mr. Potter who, it seems, has finally decided to use his mind rather than get mediocre grades." She whisked off again and nobody dared talk for the rest of class.

When the three of us were walking to Charms Ron started complaining about McGonagall's harshness, and even ventured to compare her with Snape.

"Ron, she's not Snape. You _were_ talking in her class though, and this year we begin to study for our NEWTS you can't honestly expect her to go as easy as before." I retort angrily, still incensed with him for seeing through me during the last lesson.

Charms flew by very quickly, but not without an enormous amount of homework assigned, much like McGonagall.

After lunch Harry and Ron said farewell to each other. It was the first time in six years they had not been in the same class together. Ron was continuing with Divination (_probably for the easy grade_), while Harry and I had chosen to take History of Magic again. I had managed to convince him of its importance for aurors at the end of last year while he was choosing courses. While part of that was true, mainly I just didn't want to be in the class all by myself, and knew Ron would never dream of taking it again…

Harry and I took our usual seats in the back where we were sure to lay out a few feet of parchment a piece. Professor Binns had not yet arrived.

Neville was the next to enter carrying a large stack of books and approximately ninety percent of them had to do with plants. "Getting a head start on Herbology?" I asked him approvingly.

He blushed a little, "Yeah, my gran bought me a huge stack of these books as a reward for my bravery last year during the Ministry of Magic fiasco." Neville then started humming absently to himself as he thumbed through one of the large books.

I glanced at Harry just as I started to sit down and was startled to see his eyes blinking furiously. _He's thinking about Sirius again…why did Neville have to bring THAT up?_

"It's alright Harry, I'll bet that he's up in heaven watching you right now and laughing at the fact that we have to sit through Binns for two more years…" I attempted a feeble joke.

Harry didn't respond though, and just kept staring of into space. Most of the other students had arrived by now, and Binns was sure to be here any second.

It suddenly became more difficult as I felt an enormous wave of anger, despair and loneliness wash over me. _Why did my emotions have to kick in now?_ "Harry," I whispered fiercely tugging on his arm, "Please, this really isn't the time for a breakdown. I promise we'll talk as long as you want after class."

Harry just shook his head minutely, and then Binns walked in. I could feel an intense feeling of boredom overwhelm me and I was having a strong desire to go fly on my firebolt right now. _Wait a second that didn't sound right…_ Can't go flying, Sirius gave me that firebolt…

My eyes starting flooding with tears again, and through my blurry eyes I could see Harry struggling to keep his composure as well.

_What the heck is going on?_ I started cursing to myself softly. Fortunately for the both of us Binns had already started his monologue and wouldn't stop until the end of the period, not even if a dragon walked in and sat down next to him.

I took out my wand and muttered a charm over my quill. The quill started scratching notes away on the parchment furiously while I tried to get a handle on what was going on.

Then, just as suddenly as the other waves of emotion came a much more powerful surge. Intense hatred coupled with excruciating pain ripped through my stomach I screamed and everything went black…

My eyes opened on a cream-colored ceiling which had a few dark shadows cast by luminous candles on the walls. I turned my head to see a funny green hospital divider surrounding me to the right. _Where am I?_

I turned my head the other way to see Harry lying in an identical bed next to me, his green blazing eyes wide open, and staring at me.

Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall stood to the far side of Harry and Madame Pomphrey bustling about between us.

"What happened to us?" croaked Harry's raspy voice.

My voice came out very soft and scratchy, not in the usual high-pitch soprano I was used to. "I don't know Harry."

A/N: So sorry for lack of updates...there is no excuse I hang my head in shame. By the way, to read the schedules, just follow each name down vertically to figure out their schedules, and I'm sorry it came out so poorly it was much better on my computer...


	20. Marked

**Chapter 19-Marked**

_(Harry's POV)_

To our utmost disappointment Hermione and I were told nothing about our History of Magic incident until late that evening when we went to visit Dumbledore.

Ron, however stopped by to visit us with Hagrid after Care of Magical Creatures. Hagrid told us we hadn't missed much except the selecting of our very own arachnid colony to take care of and raise which would be our big project for the first semester.

"I saved the bes'un fer you three." Hagrid commented happily. He then left us a tray of his very own treacle fudge and home-baked rock cakes. "Don' tell Madame Pomfrey, she'll go nutters." He whispered before stomping out of the hospital wing.

Ron on the other hand looked like he'd walked through a ghost.

"Come on Ron," Hermione rasped, "Raising spiders can't be that bad."

"Yes it can." Ron whimpered, "When Hagrid said the best spider colony, he meant the biggest. Those beasts are about six inches a piece. He says they're gonna grow too."

"You don't think he's trying to create more spawn for Aragog?" I whispered quietly, not wanting to upset Pomfrey, or strain my voice.

Ron nodded numbly the expression on his face was indescribable.

"Hagrid isn't even _that_ stupid." Hermione replied

Ron shook his head. I glared at Hermione for insulting Hagrid, but she pretended to ignore me. _She never did approve of Hagrid's insane obsession with large animals…_

"Alright, enough spiders." I whispered as loud as my voice would allow, "Do you know anything about what happened to us Ron, they won't tell us anything."

Ron shook his head sadly, "No, I was hoping you two would. Although, something really weird happened in Divination today-"

He was interrupted by Hermione's snort, "If you're going to tell us that Trelawney has predicted that Harry is going to fall off the Astronomy tower tonight, save your breath."

"Actually it had nothing to do with Trelawney or the Astronomy tower." Ron continued unperturbed by Hermione's curtness, "We were reviewing Crystal Balls today, and I actually saw something for the first time. Course that could also be because Ginny was helping me…"

"Why is Ginny in your Divination class Ron?" Hermione asked

Ron colored, "I failed with a _troll_ in Divination on the OWLS Herms, lowest score ever recorded. Trelawney decided to hold me back a year."

Hermione shut up. "As I was saying though," He continued again, "I saw something funny-real funny in the ball. A green flash and then this baby starts wailing at the top of his lungs. He was bleeding on his forehead real bad. Then I saw a purple cloud and some girl collapsed, dead in her tracks in the middle of some really big dark room…Don't know what the heck it means, if anything." Ron concluded.

Hermione shut her eyes tightly and she lay down again on her bed. "You alright Hermione?" I asked

"Yeah, I just realized something, that's all." She replied despondently.

"What?" Ron and I nearly jump in excitement.

She sits up and throws her legs over her bedside and stand up, leaning on the table for support. "Harry, show Ron your scar."

"Why, he's seen it a million times." I say puzzled.

"Just do it." She said with a scared and tired voice.

I held up a patch of hair for Ron and Hermione to see the scar.

Ron gasped, "It's bleeding Harry."

Sure enough a sticky fluid was smeared all over my hand and there was a metallic stench of blood in the air. Then, to our surprise Hermione rolled up her uniform shirt to just above the beginning of her ribs. "Look."

There, on lower-left side of her stomach was an identical scar to mine, also bleeding, except her lightening bolt lay horizontal to my vertical one.

"What does this mean?" Ron asked, voicing my own question.

"It means…" Hermione paused, "that Harry and I are marked."

Just a few hours later Hermione and I found ourselves out of breath in front of Dumbledore's office.

"Weasley's Wizard Hats." I panted, but Hermione was in worse shape leaning against the wall clutching her stomach.

The stone phoenix rumbled into view and I helped Hermione on, "You okay?" I asked.

She nodded, but seemed much paler than when we'd left the hospital wing.

I put her arm around my shoulder to help support her and either Hermione was too tired to notice, or she was in more pain than I realized because she didn't protest.

When we arrived in the office Professor McGonagall left her post near Dumbledore to rush over to us, "Was this wise Albus making them walk all the way up here? Especially after what happened? Look Miss Granger is white in the face, and Mr. Potter is not much better." She circled round us like a concerned mother hen, most unlike McGonagall.

"Unfortunately Minerva, this is the only place in the castle where I can be sure there are no listening ears. It was a necessary evil. I do assure you however, that they will be fit for class in the morning after a simple sleeping draught."

He conjured a huge, brown fluffy couch which I thankfully sank into, Hermione leaning on me for support even after sitting down. _She really does look terrible…_ I worried.

"Now, Harry, Hermione do you two have any idea what happened today and why?" he asked addressing both of us.

I told them what had happened from my point of view and then explained what Hermione had to me and Ron earlier after telling them about the Divination incident.

Dumbledore's eyebrows arched in curiosity more than once, but he said nothing, McGonagall was simply shocked.

"So you think that the two of you are marked." He finally said breaking the silence.

Hermione and I nodded in unison.

"Well, after much research and difficult inquiries I have discovered what curse was used on Miss Granger during the Department of Mysteries battle last year. It is called _Hades Philus Tempus non Fugit._ Essentially it intends for the victim to die slowly and painfully. The unusual thing about this curse is that it was never taken seriously because it took so long to accomplish the task. Usually the victim was in such a state of depression and mental pain that they committed suicide often nine or tens months after the documented curse was cast. Many dark wizards are incapable of casting it, as it requires the cold-heartedness of having murdered at least five others with _avada kedavra_ before."

He stops his little monologue to gaze at the two of us, "However, Dolohov did not succeed with the curse, instead he gave you a scar very similar to Harry's. Do you know why Miss Granger?"

Hermione shook her head slowly before bringing her shivering body closer to mine.

Dumbledore cast a warming charm on the couch and Hermione stopped shivering a little. "It was because Miss Granger, young Mr. Potter has put himself in harm's way for you and young Mr. Weasley many a time. Now, granted, this does not give you anywhere near as much protection as Harry's parents gave to him, but seeing as Harry has attempted to save your life by endangering his on at least three occasions your life will be spared three times. The first incident was the Department of Mysteries, followed by your cliff problem over the summer. That counts for two out of three chances. Might I suggest you be more careful Miss Granger?" he winked at her, Hermione seemed to be feeling a little better though and so she asked something.

"Why did I come off with a scar after both incidents though?"

"Because, quite simply, as Harry has never truly sacrificed his life to save yours you will never be completely protected."

"Does this mean that Ron has three chances too?"

"Actually, he is down to one as well. Harry only tried to save him twice and he already used one chance in the Department."

"What about the times we tried to save him?"

"Those have worked to save Harry too, but I'm afraid this is not the time for a math lesson."

"Sorry." Hermione mumbled.

"I am glad you picked up on the scar parallel between the two of you though, as it will be what is used to verify the other two reincarnates as well."

"What do you mean sir?" I ask

"I mean the other reincarnates will also have people attempt to kill them, and they too will acquire scars as a result."

"Is there any other way to identify the reincarnates without endangering them like this Albus?" pleaded McGonagall

"The only other way involves tedious Genealogy research, which I have tried and failed at."

"How? A genealogy's a genealogy." Hermione stated.

"There are too many descendents to know who the true reincarnates are."

"There's no way I'm descended from Ravenclaw though, I'm a muggle-born." Hermione protested.

"By wizarding standards Miss Granger a family line is declared 'muggle' if they have seven or more generations of squibs. If you were to research your family back far enough in the library here you would find that you are a descendant of many famous people, some that even the muggles know about."

I looked into Hermione's eyes and saw that they had lit up at the prospect of spending more time in the library.

"Now, however I do feel my warm fuzzy slippers calling to me. It is time to go to bed. Minerva, if you would be so kind as to escort them to their dormitory and give them the sleeping draught, I also ask that if they are a tiny bit late to your class tomorrow it is probably due to the draught, please do not hold it against them."

After that we both stood up, and Dumbledore disappeared only to reappear moments later with three boxes wrapped in hideous flashy purple and orange paper. He winked at us, "I do believe your friend Ronald would appreciate some as well."

McGonagall walked slowly with us back to our dormitory, all the while shooting nervous glances at Hermione who was beginning to shake with cold again.

We found the Gryffindor common room deserted and the fire about to burn out, and it was not without a little difficulty that the three of us squeezed down the hallway to the Head common room which wasn't meant for one person, let alone three.

Finally, in the safety of our own common room Hermione collapsed on the nearest chair breathing heavily and clutching her side. McGonagall and I exchanged nervous glances. Then she said aloud, "Well, I must say that Professor Dumbledore is hardly ever wrong when it comes to anything, and I hope that this isn't the time when he is."

She then handed me a medium-sized vial full of a purplish substance and told me to conjure up two glasses of hot cider and divide the vial between the two.

Then McGonagall started talking to Hermione about her course load.

By the time I'd remembered how to conjure hot and not cold cider they were finished and Hermione walked to her room with the cup of cider/potion leaving me around with the professor.

McGonagall told me to watch her carefully tomorrow, and then wished me a good night which I returned as she left.

I picked up my own glass and walked into Hermione's room where she had changed had just finished drinking her glass.

She already was looking really tired, but managed to smile at me. "Don't worry Harry, I'll be fine." She yawned.

"You're not going to use a time-turner to get to your classes again are you?" I asked worriedly.

She smiled and shook her head again, "I-I'll tell you tomorrow Harry. Goodnight." She promptly fell asleep.

I sat at the end of her bed for the longest time, stroking her hand before my own eyes were drooping so much that I couldn't hold them open for more than fifteen seconds at a time.

She really was the best friend anyone could ever have; Hermione had been there for me through thick and thin. She'd been there when nobody, not even Ron believed me; she had protected me even when it meant incurring my wrath. Hermione really was a Gryffindor. _I cannot believe it's taken me this long to see what she's done for me._

Somewhere during my vigil over Hermione I remember being really thirsty and drinking something, (my brain was too tired to register I should have been in my bed when I did) and I woke up the next morning to find Hermione giggling over me.

"Harry, you silly!" she laughed, "You were supposed to drink the sleeping draught in your room not mine! You slept on the floor all night!"

Sure enough, when I tried to hoist myself up I found out I was stiff as a board.

Hermione helped me up and after some record-speed showering, dressing, shaving etc. we dashed into the Great Hall for breakfast only to find it deserted and cleaned up.

Hermione and I were about to leave for class, (seeing as we must have been late) when Dobby appeared out of nowhere with two large platters of delicious breakfast food.

"I though you were at Grimmauld Place." I whispered to him.

Dobby grinned, "Dobby likes to help Harry Potter, sir, wherever Harry Potter is sir and Harry Potter is now at Hogwarts." He paused then placed the platters at the end of the Gryffindor table when he pulled a note out of his cap, "It is a note from Professor Dumbledore sir for your class teacher when you have finished breakfast."

He disappeared before we could thank him, so Hermione and I sat down to a sumptuous breakfast feast. Hermione insisted on rushing though the meal though, to get to McGonagall's class as soon as possible. So I stuffed two danishes inside a napkin to eat on the way there.

When we arrived the entire class looked up from the copious notes they'd been taking to see the two of us enter. Then, just as quickly their eyes flitted to McGonagall to see how she would react to her two new heads being late so early in the year.

She said nothing, but instead advanced to us and asked in her usual tone if we had a note. I was shocked that she seemed not to have heeded Dumbledore's instruction, but as Hermione handed her the note I noticed a slight smirk on the professor's face when she read Dumbledore's loopy letters form "Lily Wafers."

She then forced the note back at me, in a rather loud voice she excused our tardiness, but I then noticed she'd scribbled something else on it. The note now read:

"_Dumbledore likes_

**_Lily Wafers_**

_They were also a favorite of Lily and James Potter."_

"What the heck has gotten into McGonagall?" I asked Hermione while the two of us were practicing our transfiguration on our baby cow.

"She probably just wanted to give you Dumbledore's new password as well as tell you something about you parents. She felt really sorry for us last night you know." Hermione replied while she transfigured the calf into a miniature train set that was chugging around on the track.

Ron gaped at Hermione's handiwork in amazement from where he'd been partnered with Neville who had succeeded in turning their calf into a large beach ball with black splotches on it as well as a tail. "How'd you do that Herms?" he asked for the second time in two days.

"By reading Ronald." She retorted

Hermione then transfigured the cow back and I tried, not quite as successfully as her to turn mine into a train set as well, but mine came out looking like all the train cars were little cows following the leader cow around the track. Ron snorted.

"I'd like to see you make your cow even look like Mr. Potter's train Mr. Weasley." McGonagall said stepping in behind us all.

Ron waved his wand, muttered the spell only succeeded in giving his cow train wheels which made it careen dangerously around the room since the cow was not used to having wheels for feet. Finally between Hermione and McGonagall one of the two of them returned the unfortunate animal to its original state, but not after half of the classroom had been destroyed in the process.

McGonagall decided she's had enough after that and sent us all to the library to work on our extra homework assignment, a six page essay on the dangers of not concentrating intently when transfiguring.

Ron moaned all the way to the library about how McGonagall was picking on him, "I swear she's got it in for me! Maybe Snape slipped her some of his Weasley-abhorrence potion which he takes every morning!"

"Stop being stupid _Ronald_." Hermione said sternly, "First of all you know Snape doesn't take any such potion, let alone that there is one and secondly McGonagall is simply mad at you for being careless today in class."

Before I could stop them Hermione and Ron erupted into a full-fledged fight in the hallway.

"Honestly, Hermione all you ever do is talk about schoolwork! It's no wonder nobody wants to be your friend except Harry and me-it's 'cause you're B-O-R-I-N-G with a capital 'B.' Why do you always have to be such a suck-up and always take the teachers' side?" Ron spurted angrily.

Hermione's face was livid and red with rage, "RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY!!! HOW DARE YOU!" she screeched unnaturally high even for her soprano voice.

Ron and I cringed visibly at her tone.

Hermione turned on her heel and stalked off at a near run towards the library.

Ron shrugged his shoulders, "She really needs to get her priorities straight that one."

I whirled round to face him, "Ron, you really hurt her feelings! You don't have the slightest clue what you just said to her! I'm beginning to think that Hermione was right when she said you had the emotional range of a teaspoon!" After that I too marched off towards the library hoping to catch up with Hermione and leaving a much bewildered Ron in my wake.

After much searching I found her huddled in the farthest, darkest corner of the library behind stacks of books three and a half feet high.

"I wasn't expecting you to come you know." She replied morosely as she flipped through a book entitled "_Rowena Ravenclaw: What became of her line?"_

I pulled over a chair to be next to her, "What, did you think it would be like all those other times when I sat in the middle not taking either side-or siding with Ron?"

She nodded, head still buried in her book.

"Look Hermione, I know I've been a prat before, in fact not much better than Ron at times-"

"Harry, you're being too hard on yourself, really _you_ weren't calling me names."

"Yeah, but I didn't stop him either. I'm sorry for his behavior Hermione, and I'm sorry for mine."

"Alright then," she said with a dangerous smile, "how about you help me research the Ravenclaw line?" she dumps a stack of books four feet high in front of me with a silly grin.

A/N: Alright...sorry family health issues combined with first year of military school makes FFN updates a low priority...


	21. Ravenclaw's Descendants

**Chapter 21-Ravenclaw's Descendants**

_(Hermione's POV)_

It was a week since the incident with Ron (he came by and apologized to me three days afterwards), and the three of us were still buried in the library beneath book after dusty book what was the worst thing about it though was the fact that we had found no line of hers that survived past the 1300's and certainly no connection whatsoever with the Grangers.

I looked over at my two loyal boys, still obediently flipping through page after page of black "chicken scratch" (as Ron put it) until the words started to swim before their eyes.

_They really aren't used to researching for something this long and getting no clues whatsoever…_ To tell you the truth neither was I. This was the first time in my life I was beginning to doubt whether Hogwart's library held the answer and whether or not Dumbledore had been correct.

Suddenly there was a thud and I glanced in the direction it came from.

Ron had fallen asleep, head on the open page of a book and drool starting to leak out of his mouth. Harry and I both exchanged glances.

"I would leave him there, because he'd probably prefer to be asleep, except he's going to ruin the book with his drool." I remarked with evident disgust.

Harry gently moved Ron's head up and I removed the book while Harry laid Ron's head back down and I cleaned the book off.

"Harry," I sighed closing the book I'd been looking in with a resounding**slap**, "Maybe we should just call it quits. It's been a week and we have nothing, maybe the library doesn't have the answer after all."

Harry looked over at me with goggle eyes, "Did you just say what I thought you said, or am I finally losing my mind?" he queried

I smiled a little, "No, really I think this is a lost cause." I resign, slamming another book shut with anger.

Harry picked up the book that Ron had been drooling on and glanced at it nearly shutting it before doing a double-take.

"Hermione!" he said as loudly as he dared in the library.

"What?" I asked in exasperation as I walked over to him, "If you're going to tell me that you've found a new hex to use on the Slytherins save your breath…" my voice trailed off as I saw what Harry was pointing at.

The Lost Line of Rowena Ravenclaw

It went on to list hundreds and hundreds of her descendants. It also turned out that the book magically modified itself, so that any new person in the line was added. Fortunately for the book, Ravenclaw's descendants were far fewer in number than someone would expect for a line over a thousand years old. In fact, I was rather shocked to see that the further down the line the less and less there seemed to be.

Harry broke into my musings, "You're welcome Hermione." He says in a teasing voice.

I smiled up at him, and then down at the sleeping form of Ron. "Well, it's actually both of you who found the answer." I put a bookmark in the page I wanted and proceeded to pack up.

"Actually, seeing as Ron fell asleep it was me who found the answer." Harry said rather testily.

"Come Harry! You've got to give Ron a fair shot; he did at least find the book." I retorted placing my hands on my hips, in what I think was a rather good imitation of Mrs. Weasley.

"No he did not Hermione!" he waved in a frenzied motion towards a stack of books Ron had been looking through, "I picked out all these books, he just pretended to skim them, you know Ron can barely do his homework let alone another bonus assignment."

"Harry you're being irrational." I said in a calmer voice, hoping Madame Pince wouldn't come over to kick us out.

Harry walked right up to me until he was a mere three centimeters from my face, his dark, angry green eyes flashing down at me, almost buried beneath his incredibly messy black hair. "I'M NOT BEING IRRATIONAL!" Harry said in a rather loud whisper.

My head was starting to swim again with the smell of the Quidditch field after a big rainstorm mixed in with aftershave and fudge treacle, it was becoming nearly over-powering. The worst part though was I couldn't figure out where it was coming from.

Somehow I managed to choke out my response through the whirling that was currently muddying my brain. "Harry it doesn't matter who found the answer, the point is it has been found."

Harry let out a great sigh, "You're right Hermione, I'm sorry." He backed off and my senses returned to normal.

I proceeded to gather up books to put away with Harry, making sure to separate Ron's book from the others. Finally, we were all packed up and Harry thwacked Ron over the head a bit roughly to wake him up.

"Fred! SStopp hittin me wiz yur damnd book." Ron mumbled groggily before settling back down on the table to sleep.

Harry tried hitting him once more, which resulted in a loud snore. I tried to yank him out of his seat, but to no avail.

"Hermione, let's just leave him a note and go, we have rounds in five minutes." Harry said impatiently.

So Harry scratched out a quick note, I checked out the book with Madame Pince and we dashed out of the library at a run towards our dorms.

How we ever managed to drop off our things in our dorms and meet up with the previous patrol in time at the Great Hall I never quite figured out, but then again Harry _is_ fast.

Draco and Ginny were just stumbling in, arguing over something rather animatedly. Ginny was practically purple in the face (a trait all Weasleys must acquire in their rage), and even the waxen Malfoy seemed to be rather red.

"I'm telling you Malfoy! You should never have punished those students so harshly! How would you feel if that was you and Pansy snogging in the broom closet!" Ginny nearly screeched.

"For your information Weaslette, that was _not_ me snogging anyone in the broom cupboard. Nor do I snog Pansy Parkinson, she looks like an overgrown pug." Draco shouted.

"They're from your own house you _ferret_!"

"I'm surprised that Crabbe and Goyle made it into any house at all frankly…" Draco drawled. "Besides, if you had bothered to read your bylaws that McGonagall gave you, you would find that sodomy was expressly forbidden by the Warlocks Council of 1122 throughout the wizarding world, and especially at _schools_!"

The two then proceeded to have a glaring contest. Harry decided that he'd had enough of their arguing and marched over to them, looking very much like an angry Snape rather than the pleasant person he'd been not twenty minutes before.

"Weasley! Malfoy!" Harry shouted to get their attention. The two guilty prefects turned to face their head boy. "I'm ashamed of both of you arguing like three-year-olds over a toy. Prefects are expressing forbidden from quarreling of any sort, and are only allowed to enter a fight if someone's life or theirs is in danger. Since neither Crabbe nor Goyle _combined_ is likely to present a lethal threat to anything besides a pair of cupcakes, I demand the two of you explain yourselves this instant!" I watched as Harry towered over Ginny, and even Malfoy who was two inches taller than Harry looked very scared.

It took a full fifteen minutes to sort out the argument, and the results effectually boiled down to Crabbe and Goyle having detention for six months and losing sixty points a piece for Slytherin. Draco and Ginny were punished differently; both would have detention together for a week with McGonagall and would not have the privilege of changing patrol partners for the entire year.

After the senseless delay was over Harry and I set out on patrol. An awkward silence settled between us for the first half-hour.

Finally Harry broke the stillness and asked a question I would never have expected. "Hermione, when do you think would be the best time for Quidditch try-outs?"

I looked over at him in shock. _Why was he asking me about Quidditch when he's got Ron? Not to mention there are far more important things to take care of than Quidditch right now._

"W-Why are you asking me?" I stuttered

"Well, I am captain now, I make the decisions for that stuff and I'd like to make it convenient for you seeing as hopefully you'll be on the team." He said a bit sheepishly.

"How about Tuesday evenings and Saturday afternoons then?" I suggested

I could see his smile even in the dark dungeon torchlight, "Great, I'll put up the fliers now."

"Harry, you can't do that now…we're on patrol, besides they aren't even ready." I protested

"Actually," and Harry reached into his pocket, "I already had them filled out, just needed some times. Besides, each one is charmed to fly to a certain location when I tell it to."

"You know, Harry your charmwork has improved tremendously in just a few days. I'm truly amazed."

"Well, after a mother so brilliant at Charms and Potions everyone was saying I'd pick it up sooner or later once I actually started studying."

While he'd been talking to me he traced a few things magically onto each flier, and then with three wand taps each paper flew off into nearly sixty directions.

"That means Quidditch tomorrow you know." Harry said when we'd started walking again.

"Isn't that short notice though?"

"Considering that every player I know except you and possibly me will make Quidditch their top priority I don't think we'll have any trouble getting everybody for the tryouts."

"But that would mean you've already decided who's holding each position."

Harry said nothing, but merely raised his eyebrows.

The rest of our patrol shift was calm, no problems except having to rescue Neville's toad from being eaten by Malfoy's huge eagle. We returned eagerly to our rooms at ten o'clock after handing responsibility over to Justin Finch-Fletchy and Blaise Zabini.

Harry arranged the dinner the house-elves left for us since we missed the Great Hall one while I settled down on our couch with Ron's book from the library and opened up to the place I'd left off.

After skipping to the end of the list I looked down only to practically drop the book in surprise.

"WHAT!" I shrieked.

Harry dashed to look over my shoulder, and his eyes fell on the paragraph I'd just read.

"_Thus, the two remaining parts to Ravenclaw's line in the 1940's were the Evans and Pevensie branches, both considered muggle for untold centuries before they unexpectedly revealed two of the brightest witches to ever walk the earth since Rowena herself. Lily Calla Evans, Hogwarts class of 1978 was Head Girl and her NEWT scores broke every record ever recorded at the Ministry of Magic. She married James Arthur Potter her fellow head and their only son was born on July 31, 1980. They died by Voldemort's hand the following year._

_The next brilliant witch was born in the same generation as the Potter's child, Hermione Jane Granger daughter of Helen Lily Pevensie (later Granger) on September 19, 1980. Oddly, both Potter and Granger are both currently Head Boy and Girl of Hogwarts during their sixth year-despite the fact that neither is truly related to the other as their lines divided in the 1230's._

_Co-incidents like these show us wizards that the Founders themselves did not underestimate muggles, since some of the most famous of their descendants have come through a 'muggle' line, so neither should we."_

"That's Nutters." Harry murmured.

"Come on Harry, its true…" I hesitated, "but it's certainly _weird._"


	22. Quidditch Tryouts and Weasley Problems

**Chapter 21-Quidditch Try-outs and Weasley Problems**

_(Harry's POV)_

The following morning I woke up to hear the sound of a someone taking a shower, which I found out was Hermione (the hard way of course, not used to being with her yet) when the bathroom door threw me back ten feet down the hall and Hermione screamed at me. _And I'd only touched the door handle! Yikes!_

I waited patiently for another ten minutes before she emerged, fully clothed and ready for the day and with a slight frown on her face.

"Harry James Potter…" she began sternly, and that's when I knew I was in trouble. _Hermione's only used my middle name three times on me in the last six years, and only when I pull 'a Ron.'_ "You ought to know better than to come into a bathroom when a girl is taking a shower. I had hoped that you would be mature enough not to let your hormones rule your reason, it's a good thing that door is permanently charmed."

"Hermione, I'm sorry-I just keep forgetting that I'm not sharing a bathroom with nine other boys anymore."

Her frown lightened a bit and she went into her room to gather her things, calling over her shoulder that she would give me twenty-five minutes before she left for breakfast.

Eager to impress her with my timeliness so she wouldn't be in a bad mood all day, I dashed about as quickly as I could, showering and shaving in record time. Of course, I did nick myself with the razor on the lower-left portion of my jaw, but it wasn't anything critical.

I threw on my robes and ran my fingers through my hopeless hair before opening the door and walking into our common room with two minutes to spare.

Hermione was sitting on the couch reading _what a surprise!_ She looked up when I came in, and ran her eyes over my form rather like Mrs. Weasley did with her boys each morning before she let them out.

Then she stood up and peered at my jawbone, "You cut yourself shaving." She stated.

"Yes, but it's nothing really you should have seen me this summer at the Dursleys' when I had just started shaving. I ended up using nearly all their band-aids before Uncle Vernon showed me how so he wouldn't have to keep buying them." I paused from my babble to look at her curiously, _she did something new with her hair today…_ My brain could not however, figure out what it was. "Of course all the Dursleys are rather upset because Dudley has yet to get a beard." I commented randomly.

Hermione smiled her little smile that she reserved just for me and spoke, "Well, can't have McGonagall finding out her Head Boy can't shave so…" she muttered something under her breath and my cut disappeared with a feeling that someone had scrubbed it with cold water, her smooth wand rubbed against my cheek briefly before she removed it and an awkward moment ensued when both of us reached for the gold crest in the fireplace at the same time and our hands touched.

The bricks rolled back again, like they always did to reveal the passageway to the Gryffindor Common Room, but Hermione and I stood there for a few seconds bewildered before we both laughed and then proceeded to walk single file out.

We emerged through the fire seconds later, and as usual Ron complained.

"You know, I just don't get how those flames never burn you two up. Every time me or the twins tries to go near them it gets too hot to bear no matter what spell we use. But you guys walk through that thing at least six times a day with no problem. Are you guys ever going to tell me how you get in and out?"

The three of us were starting out to breakfast when Ginny came tearing down the girls' staircase. "Wait up guys! Wait for me!" Ginny scrambled up to us and Ron heaved a huge sigh of exasperation.

"Ginny…" he began.

Ginny ignored him however and immediately grabbed my elbow, and held on painfully tight.

"So Harry, I heard a rumor you're holding Quidditch try-outs today, is that true?" she began.

"Yes, now could you-"

"Great! Awesome!" she cut me off, I looked over at the other two for sympathy only to find Ron was nibbling on a pumpkin pasty from his pocket (must've been at least a week old…gross) Hermione on the other hand had her mouth pressed in a rather thin line.

Then Ginny shook me, "Harry! You're not paying attention to me!" she paused to make sure she had it before continuing, "So I was asking, since you're one of my _best_ friends and we understand each other _soooo_ well…would you mind letting me make some of the decisions for Quidditch with you? I promise I'm really good at Quidditch, practiced with my brothers for years and I'd only let a _few_ of my friends on the team-"

"Ginny could you please-" I began

"Ginerva!" Hermione said coldly wrenching Ginny's hand from its vice-like grip on my arm, "Let go of Harry! And Quidditch decisions are his and his _alone…_" She grabbed the Quidditch badge off my robe, "See this?" Ginny glared daggers at Hermione who looked just as angry if not more so, "This is called a Quidditch Captain's badge, it mean _Harry_ makes all the choices, not _Ginny._"

"Shut up Hermione, it's not like you can even _fly_ let alone understand Quidditch." Ginny said scathingly, she tipped her head with anger and raised her fiery red eyebrows, "Harry only takes advice from those who know what they're talking about, and you're just jealous because this is the one subject you failed."

Hermione flinched, and Ginny laughed almost manically, 'That's right Hermione Granger…the one subject you failed…flying…the ever-so-perfect Hermione Granger _can't fly_!"

I looked around quickly for help, but Ron was backed against a wall cowering and nobody else was in sight.

"Ginny you really-" I began

"CAN'T FLY!!!" Ginny screeched again. Hermione was turning white.

"GOD DAMN YOU GINNY SHUT UP!!" I bellowed. The wall seemed to shake with my voice and the torchlights in the darkened hall flickered and blew out. Ginny, Hermione and Ron all turned to me with varying expressions of shock on their faces. "I am so sick of you interrupting me and not allowing me to speak." I said looking at both girls, "I'm perfectly capable of making my own decisions thank you. However, Ginny you said some terrible things and I'm going to have to punish you."

Ginny's mouth flopped open and closed like a fish gasping for air. I continued on with barely a pause, "The taunting of any prefect is expressly forbidden, but the taunting of one prefect by another is inexcusable. This combined with your actions from yesterday will make it necessary for me to request our house head to write your parents, and I will demand a formal written apology to Hermione."

After that Ginny stormed off, absolutely seething and we sent Ron ahead of us to ask McGonagall to speak with us.

Hermione was staring at the floor, "I'm sorry Harry." She whispered.

"I know you are, that's why I didn't do anything else, and to tell you the truth Hermione it didn't really bother me that much seeing as you knew what I wanted anyway. It's just I had to be fair."

"Ginny's going to do something to one or both of us you know." Hermione mumbled.

"She'll probably try to jinx the letter to you, be careful." I said.

At breakfast I explained the issue to McGonagall and she said that the power of her new position had probably gone to Ginny's head and she would write a warning letter to the Weasleys about her. I did notice that at breakfast Ginny sat as far away from the three of as possible, but she had an expression of loathing on her face that I'd never seen before.

Ron was scared silly and said nothing the entire meal, which come to think of it I probably should have been scared too, since two of the most powerful witches in the school were engaged in the worst catfight I'd ever seen.

Classes continued like nothing happened except Ron actually took notes, _probably due to the fact he didn't want to anger Hermione…_

By lunch the entire school knew Hermione and Ginny were fighting, and that I had taken Hermione's side.

Both girls had pathways cleared for them wherever they went and every hour or so a first year would whimper at the sight of a furious girl. _It seems their hexing capabilities are legendary._ The most disturbing development however, was that Ginny and Cho Chang were becoming very close very fast. Neither was seen out of the other's company the entire day.

Eventually it was an hour before the scheduled try-outs and Ron, Hermione and I were sneaking down to Quidditch pitch, trying to avoid the students who had been constantly requesting positions on the team, as well as Ginny's wrath. We reached the bleachers, and Ron stopped there as if waiting for Hermione to go and sit down. He looked very puzzled when she did not.

So I decided to tell him what I'd been thinking about, but not out in the open air.

I dragged the two of them into the Quidditch changing rooms and sat them down on the bench. Both were looking at me very confused.

"Alright, no interrupting until I'm done okay?" I asked

They nodded, "So this is how it's going to work. Ron, I know you've always wanted to be Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, so I'm going to make you my 'unofficial co-captain,' just don't tell anybody else okay? Otherwise there will be questions and rumors which none of us want." Ron's face light up and he jumped up from his seat and hugged me.

"Really Harry? I can be your co-captain?"

"I thought I said no interrupting Ron?" I teased. Ron blushed a little

"Oh. Right." He sat back down.

"As I was saying I will take all your suggestions into account Ron, and more importantly, you will be the one who makes all our game strategies since you're so good at chess."

"Bloody Brilliant!" Ron jumped up again, "Can I start now?"

Hermione and I shook our heads in amusement, "Sure Ron, but first go ask Madame Hooch for the Quidditch stuff okay?"

Ron didn't need telling twice he ran off like a bolt of lightening.

"Well, do you want some quick practice before we start?" I asked Hermione who was suddenly looking very nervous.

She nodded silently and so we took both our brooms out of our pockets and resized them, and I took a basketball I'd stolen from Dudley for this purpose and resized that as well.

For someone who was incredibly nervous Hermione did superbly well, but then I wasn't the best keeper in the world-seeking was definitely the position I was born for. Around twenty minutes later we heard shouts coming from the ground and looked down to see two figures waiting for us, holding the chest with the Quidditch balls inside it.

Hermione took one last throw at the hoop while I was distracted and scored. I let the ball fall to the ground and followed Hermione in an impressive loop which left us three inches off the ground and with a perfect landing.

"Great job!" I exclaimed giving her a brief friendly hug.

Ron was talking sixty miles an hour babbling about how could Hermione fly like that? But we both ignored him and turned to the other person we'd seen from the sky. He was a foot taller than when I'd last seen him, and his hair about five inches longer but I'd recognize this man anywhere…

"WOOD!" I shouted happily, and he smiled

"Long time no see Potter, and Miss Granger I believe?" he said turning to Hermione, "how come you've never showed us your wonderful flying skills before now?"

Hermione blushed, "I only just started this summer."

"That makes you all the better then, you'd make a fair chaser." He then turned back to me.

"See you've made Captain, right Harry?" he started walking beside me down the pitch.

"Yeah, it's my first year."

"So you're holding try-outs today?"

"Yes…hey would you like to stay and watch?"

"That's actually the reason why I've come, well that and to see how you guys have all changed. My word Harry, you're a good eight inches taller and sprouting a beard!" Wood laughed.

"I don't think I've changed that much." I said a little confused as I looked over my appearance, but then continued, "Everybody should be arriving in the next half-hour forty-five minutes."

"Great, now one more thing. You know I'm playing with Puddlemere United right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, it seems like their keeper has just retired and they decided I was the best man to replace him, so I've gotten a huge pay raise. As a show of my gratitude towards the team and house that made my career I'm going to buy the entire team firebolts."

"Are you serious?!" I gaped

"Yeah, but I see that you and Granger already have yours."

"Well that's if Hermione makes the team." I said trying to be fair

"If you don't make her chaser Harry you're crazier that the Prophet's been saying you are." He said good-naturedly with a slap on my back. "So who played keeper in my position last year?"

"Ron Weasley." I replied a little nervously.

"He's good right? I mean Quidditch is in his blood, I played with his brother Charlie you know. Best seeker I've seen until you."

"Well, he started out sort of mediocre, but he really pulled through and did well the last few games."

"I understand you've got the twins back for the year at least, so beaters aren't open and you still have Katie Bell right?" Wood continued

I nodded

"Well that means you only have one chaser's position open-" Wood started only to be interrupted.

"WOOD!" shouted the twins in unison, "So glad you're back mate!" they then started talking to him and I moved back over to Hermione and Ron who were arguing _what a surprise!_

"Ron, honestly I don't need to tell you everything I do." Hermione said.

"Well you or Harry could've at least told me you fly now." Ron retorted.

"Ron, need I remind you that I was going to except you kept interrupting me?" I joked and soon the three of us were laughing, all arguments forgotten.

After we all finished I turned to Ron again, "I need you and Wood to organize all the students trying out for the team into groups by position, and to avoid suspicion Hermione is going to sit in the bleachers."

"Why?" Ron asked

"She and Ginny are fighting right now, remember? I don't want anything happening here, besides since Hermione is so good I really don't want people blabbing that she even tried out. Hermione's going to be our secret weapon and try out last when everybody else is gone except you, Wood and me. Then the three of us make our decisions, okay?"

"Minor problem Harry, Hermione has to try out with everyone else, you can't just dismiss them all and then try her, trust me it's written somewhere in the Quidditch bylaws."

"Well we can encourage everyone to leave, especially you seeing as you aren't 'officially' captain like Wood was, and I am."

Ron smiled gleefully rubbing his hands together, "Yes, I can't wait to see the expressions on those Slytherins' faces when Hermione throws the quaffle through their goalposts. Muggleborns are inferior…hah!"

Just then the other students started arriving and Ron and Wood went to work. Hermione discreetly hid her broom and walked over to the stands and sat down, just in time too as Ginny arrived…with Cho Chang.

_How dare she bring the Ravenclaw captain to our try-outs?!_ I stalked over to Ginny for the second time that day, "Ginny, I'm only going to tell you this once. Ask Chang to leave _now_, or I will have to bar you from try-outs. You know the rules about bringing members from other houses, let alone other teams down to practices or try-outs."

Ginny glared at me and Cho sneered, "Back to last names are we Potter? I seem to remember you were rather eager to get to know me last year."

"Unfortunately, I was stupid enough to believe that you actually liked me back as well. Oh well, I suppose we can chalk that up to being a teenage boy with hormones. We should never have left last name basis, so I'm just fixing a previous mistake." I retort.

"Well, in that case you should never even speak to Granger again." Chang replied.

"Excuse me?" I reply shocked at her audacity.

"I said you should never talk to Granger again! Are you deaf too Potter?"

"Get out Chang before I make you." I growl, by this point both Wood and Ron had wandered over.

"I'm surprised at you Chang; I would've thought you respected Quidditch more than this." Wood said stonily.

"Fine, be stupid Potter." Chang said menacingly before turning on her heel and leaving.

Ginny was still glaring daggers at me, and now Ron.

"Are you going to behave?" I asked her.

She stood there and stared at me for the longest time, "Why don't you ask Granger that?"

"I'm not going to because I know that she won't do anything unless you do." I replied drawing my self up to my full height, a good three inches above her.

"Why can't she ever do anything wrong in your eyes?"

"Why do you even care what I think of her?"

Ginny had nothing to say to this, so she merely pushed past us and lined up with everyone else.

I then made a quick speech about why we were all here, explained a few things, introduced Wood to those who didn't know him and started calling out the names for those who'd signed up for beaters.

We had three pitiful attempts before the Weasley Twins saved us all from falling asleep on our brooms, the last person was a first year who had to be turned away due to age, and we notified the twins on their selection and then dismissed the other beaters.

Next was the keeper's position and we had about five students for that. The first two were terrible. The third was a kid by the name of McLaggen who showed a good bit of promise, and in the end we were down to him and Ron. What disqualified McLaggen was the fact that he attempted to tell the twins how to hit a bludger, and missed a shot by Wood-and thankfully I dismissed him and Ron acquired his position again.

Lastly were the positions I was worried about most. Chasers.

Katie Bell was first up and did very well, scoring three goals on Ron out of ten and even one on Wood. The next two names were first years who had to be disqualified, then there was Lavender Brown who tried on a 'whim' because of the 'cute boys in those sleek robes' she was so distracted staring at Ron that one of the twins hit her with a bludger 'by accident' she quit. Next was Ginny Weasley who did better than anybody else so far, even Katie. I saw Wood looking at me very meaningfully.

Of course, Ginny always seemed to play better when she was mad, but right now I wasn't feeling much like giving her the position.

After Ginny dismounted Ron tried his best to encourage her to leave, but she stubbornly refused by saying she wanted to see who was the last name on the try-out list since she didn't see anybody else here.

In the end we had to give up and let her stay, besides everyone else had gone back to the castle except Wood and those we'd selected.

"Granger, Hermione." Called Wood. Ginny's jaw hit the ground, but she recovered quicker than I thought she would.

"HER!?" Ginny screeched, "She can't even _fly_!"

"SHUT UP GINNY! Or I will suspend you!" I shout exasperated.

Hermione walked onto the pitch after retrieving her broom, and touched off well, zoomed within a hair's width of Ginny before shooting the quaffle through the hoop Wood had been guarding. Without waiting for Wood to catch the ball, she zoomed around and caught it herself flying at breakneck speed, dodging players and bludgers and tossed the ball through Ron's highest hoop. She then caught the quaffle from Katie and raced around in circles leaving most of us rather dizzy to throw it through Ron's hoop again. And again. And again. And again. Then she turned to score on Wood, in the end she must have scored fifteen goals, not missing a single one.

Everybody was shocked during her performance, myself included, but when we called it quits for the day Hermione was the new heroine of the Gryffindor team, well everybody but Ginny that is.

Ginny stalked off to the castle as soon as Wood finished threatened her about talking about selections.

The rest of us decided to schedule a party in the Gryffindor common room tonight…

A/N: This chapter is for 71prowler, I found I'd written more on my computer an not posted it yet. However, considering college demands and my dislike of how the series turned out do not expect updates too often.


	23. An Interesting Charms Lesson

**Chapter 22-An Interesting Charms Lesson**

_(Hermione's POV)_

When I looked at my calendar a week later I realized it was already the date I'd been dreading…September 19th.

Why was I dreading my own birthday you ask? Well the answer's quite simple really; my two best friends are boys, and forgetful ones at that. I really didn't think anything would come of it.

I mean in the past, Ron had forgotten my birthday the first four years we'd known each other and gave me a last-minute gift last year: half-eaten box of Bertie Bott's Every-Flavor-Beans. Harry was only slightly better. His gifts ranged from a new inkwell first year to a stack of blank parchments third year and some Honeydukes stuff last year.

Nevertheless I got ready to greet the morning with my usual routine, and Harry stumbled out of bed and sleep-walked himself through getting ready as well. He said nothing to me as I touched the gold seal to lead us to the Gryffindor Common Room.

Ron was in worse condition than Harry, and looked like Dean had shoved him into the shower again, complete with clothes except this time Harry didn't seem to notice that Ron was in soaking wet pajamas and proceeded to walk out of our tower, expecting us to follow.

I certainly wasn't going to spare Ron humiliation when neither he nor Harry seemed to have remembered my birthday. I stalked out after Harry, but made sure I wasn't walking right beside him. _He's going to know that I'm mad at him…_

As soon as the portrait shut behind me I heard a loud smack and Ron swearing, I guess the thing hit Ron as he was trying to leave. _Should I see if he's okay?_

I compromised and waited for him to walk out of the portrait, he was rubbing his head and cursing both the Fat Lady and Dean.

We eventually caught up with Harry and I sat silently through breakfast, trying to ignore the sneers coming from Ginny, who of course knew what day it was but didn't have the decency to remind her brother or his dumb best friend.

I shoved the eggs around my plate with no appetite, pretending to eat. I knew that if I ignored the food Harry would want to know what was wrong with me, and I certainly didn't want that confrontation.

Apparently, it wouldn't have mattered anyway. "Hermione, why aren't you eating?" Harry asked, speaking for the first time that day.

"Not hungry." I lied while looking at my place setting very studiously.

He put an arm around my shoulder and I felt goosebumps creep up my body from his touch. "Hermione, come on, just eat something for me alright?" he whispered softly in my ear.

He stabbed some eggs onto the fork and lifted it up to my mouth, and I obediently let him feed me.

Eventually Harry turned back to his own meal and I felt even more miserable than before. A tear slipped down my face and I angrily brushed it away. _Not even my parents remembered my birthday…_

Ginny stood up abruptly and walked out of the Hall with the nastiest smile on her face as she passed me, Cho Chang joined her. I couldn't take it anymore and stood up as well, muttering that I'd be down at Hagrid's hut waiting for the lesson to begin if Harry and Ron wanted me. Neither one stopped me, which made my heart crack even more.

Care of Magical Creatures passed with no incidents except one of Neville's spiders got loose and Ron fainted from fear. _Wonder why, after all he and Harry braved all those things in the Forbidden Forest 2__nd__ year…_ After Dean got the bright idea to expose Seamus's feet to Ron's nose though, he woke up quick enough. Next we traipsed off to the greenhouses for Herbology where we were working with Devil's Snare. (Something the three of us did very well with much to Sprout's surprise.)

I had half a mind not to go to lunch that day, but Harry would hear none of it so between the two of my boys I got dragged to lunch. I think Ron was muttering something about, "She's finally lost it Harry-voluntarily skipping a meal-what's gotten into her?"

Due to my bad mood I wasn't evening the mood to argue with him or come up with some snide comment in return. I took my seat at the table between Harry and Ron when I was surprised with dozens of owls flying into the Hall.

I recognized Errol, the Weasleys' owl flying in. _Great! Maybe Ron ordered something from a store for me and it was too heavy for Pig._ I noticed seconds afterward that it carried a red envelope…that could only mean one thing. _This is the worst birthday ever…_ I could feel the tears streaming down my face.

Except Errol didn't stop at my place and instead continued down to Ginny where it dropped its terrible package. Ginny blanched. Every eye in the Great Hall was fixed on her, and one of her friends nudged her to open it. Her hands shook as she lifted the seal on the letter.

"GINERVA MOLLY WEASLEY! I AM ASHAMED OF YOU! HOW _DARE_ YOU TREAT ONE OF YOUR FRIENDS THAT WAY! IF YOU DON'T SHAPE UP I WILL _**PERSONALLY**_ COME DOWN TO HOGWARTS MYSELF AND STRIP YOU OF THAT BADGE! I HEAR ONE MORE THING ABOUT YOU MESSING UP AND YOU WILL BE SORRY!" Mrs. Weasley's enraged voice filled the hall and Ginny was on the verge of cowering beneath the table.

"Ron, you make sure your sister stays in line and Harry you tell me if she does anything else to Hermione. NOW GINERVA, I SUGGEST YOU APOLOGIZE TO HERMIONE SEEING AS IT IS HER BIRTHDAY. REMEMBER WHAT I SAID AND IF ANYTHING ELSE HAPPENS I WILL PUNISH YOU WORSE THAN YOUR TWIN BROTHERS HAVE SEEN!"

After that the envelope self-destructed. Silence filled the hall for a few seconds before people resumed their talking. I then noticed what I'd missed over the last few minutes, and brightly wrapped package was sitting in front of me along with a stack of cards.

The package was from my parents containing a photo album with both muggle and wizard photos, there was also an expanding box of makeup I'd seen advertised in _Witch Weekly._ My mother must have thought I would need it for the ball; I tapped both objects with my wand and gave them their destination before they rushed off to my room. Ron stared at me goggily-eyed. "How'd you do that?"

"It's called reading Ron, new invention to help you learn better." I said sarcastically as my bad mood began to lift since people seemed to have remembered me after all.

The first card was some well-wishes from the Weasleys' (graduated ones that is) and a gift certificate to _Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes_ as well as my favorite bookstore. I got innocent looks from the twins and continued opening to reveal cards from each of my teachers and a rather mysterious one from Harry telling me to expect my present when I least expected it. Ron just grinned rather mischievously the whole time, Harry studiously avoided my gaze.

Deciding that I would get nothing more out of either one of them I decided to head off to Charms, Harry and Ron following behind me whispering about something.

The minute I opened to door to the classroom I knew something funny was going on, the classroom was dark and nobody was inside.

Seconds after I'd taken my typical seat the room exploded in light, noise and confetti. A gigantic banner read: "HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY Hermione!" alternating between red and gold or blue and silver.

Harry and Ron were grinning like two big idiots under the banner with those stupid cone-shaped party-hats you see at an eight-year-old's party. Ron pointed his wand at me, "_Accio Hermione!_" he cried and my feet flew from under me as I was drawn by the spell to where Ron and Harry stood ready to shove one of those hideous hats on my head.

Fred and George had started setting off firecrackers all over the place and all the rest of my classmates jumped out of hiding to shout, "Happy Birthday Hermione!" I was surprised to see even some of the Slytherins had joined in, namely Malfoy.

Soon everyone was wearing a silly party hat, even Flitwick who had been in on the party "You're the best student I've had since Lily Evans-and even she needed a break once in awhile." I was even more amazed to see McGonagall drop by to present me with a very rare book on animagi training, she left very soon afterwards though. Dumbledore was out of the school at the time, but he gave his present to the twins to present.

"Most estimable Head Girl Miss Hermione Jane Granger…" Fred began. "Did we forget something George?" he whispered. The room burst out laughing.

"We present you with a gift from Mr. Albus Brian Percival Wulfric Dumbledore (not the professor mind you.) since you are 'like a long-lost daughter' to him." George finished.

"George he never said _that_!" Fred protested

"Whatever." George harrumphed.

Fred handed over a large package wrapped in a very familiar flashy orange and purple paper.

I opened it to find a book on _How to Beat the Ministry at its Own Game_ as well as a few pointers on how to free House Elves, last but not least he included a package of licorice snap which were _very_ sharp.

Flitwick presented me with a pen that was charmed to never need sharpening or refilling. The twins gave me a package of firecrackers and a more discreetly hidden package of Skiving Snackboxes. "_Cause even the Head Girl needs to take a break…._" Neville presented me with some beautiful charmed carnations which made Harry frown.

Then it was time for Ron's present…more of that awful perfume and some very expensive sweets from Diagon Alley along with a shrinking/growing and re-filling flask of firewhiskey. "_Might come in use later…"_

Right after I'd finished with Ron's presents a large eagle flew into the room carrying a small package wrapped in evergreen paper. Most people wouldn't know the eagle unless they'd come across it before-but if they had they would never forget it-the _Malfoys'_ eagle. It dropped the package in my lap.

"_Sorry for all those names…_" I opened it to find a tiny guilt musicbox playing all of my favorite **muggle** tunes (complete with words it was like an ipod). I dared a split-second glance at Malfoy and could have sworn I saw a smile twitching around his lips.

Suddenly everything went black and I laughed to realize that someone had covered my eyes with their hands.

"Ron!" I giggled.

"Nope." Came Ron's familiar bass tone from further away.

"Harry!" I replied joyfully and the hands removed themselves.

"Honestly Hermione," came Harry's chiding tenor; "My hands aren't as ugly as Ron's are they?" he asked pretending to be offended.

I ignored him though at the sight of what met my eyes.

There sitting on a tiny table covered in a silver cloth (neither of which was there a moment before), sat a small stack of presents wrapped in red and gold.

Harry's gaze met mine and I swallowed my tears of joy, "You guys are the best!" I said chocking up, "I thought you hadn't remembered." I said drawing both Harry and Ron into my tight embrace (Ron was trying his best to squirm away).

"Us forget?" quipped Harry, "Hermione I'm offended!"

Eventually Lavender told me that if I didn't let go of both boys she would the open presents herself.

So I sat back down and reached for the first package. It was a book on the Founders and their ancestries as well as descendants, the next package was a bottle of perfume _not_ _the same type as Ron's thankfully!_ Followed by an embroidered bookbag with my name on it that promised to magically alleviate the weight of the books inside as well as shrink them for space constraints. The last package looked very delicate and so I opened it carefully to find a tiny note placed on top of the object.

"_These are very rare and are famous for their ability to protect a person's memories from unwanted intruders, rather like a pensieve with an alarm system. They are also charmed to be self-heating, feeding, cleaning and unable to crack or pour out. (try flipping it upside-down) Another added bonus-can't be eaten by your cat! Nor can you place any spell on them, they have such innate powerful magic that they resist all spells, charms, jinxes, hexes and even __unforgiveables__._

_ Love, Harry_

_P.S. I have one too…"_

I looked down to see the most beautiful fish I'd ever laid eyes on…the _Betta Splendens Promettus_ they were very rare and expensive, said to be descendants of Rowena's original four and they did just what Harry said-guard your memories against just anyone unlike the pensieve.

The fish flitted happily around in its tiny bowl the candlelight reflecting off its indigo and silver scales, and I heard a few gasps from the crowd gathered around me.

"That's a _Founder's_ Fish!" Parvati whispered in awe.

"Really rare." Said a voice that sounded like Malfoy's.

After a few more moments of admiration on my part I put the fish down and hugged Harry for all I was worth, "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." I babbled over and over until he said in a rather strangled voice,

"Hermione, I appreciate your thanks but I'm suffocating here." I released him and everyone laughed while I blushed in embarrassment.

After that I was made to cut the cake, which erupted in my face. (Fred and George claim no knowledge of this of course…) When I was cleaned up and everyone had laughed their fill and Colin Creevy had snapped enough pictures (don't know how he got in must be the twins' fault) people began to mull off into their groups of friends to eat cake and other goodies or play pranks on their classmates.

Harry, Ron and I sat down amidst a pile of presents, Ron happily stuffing his face with what as left of the cake as well as a chocolate éclair or two. Just then Goyle came over and he and Ron reached for the same cookie at the same time, a minor scuffle ensued which resulted in Ron kicking Goyle's arse.

"You know Harry I really don't even know where to begin; this was the best birthday I've ever had." I said.

Harry stood up to look at the fish more closely, "If anybody deserves a break Hermione, it's you. I'm just glad you didn't kick my arse for making you lose a double Charms lesson." He jokes still looking at the fish.

"Who says I'm not going to?" I reply playfully

He turns around briefly to smile at me only long enough to say, "You love me too much to do that Hermione." He smiled his characteristic smirk, before again resuming his inspection of the fish.

I got up off the conjured couch to go over to him, and grabbed his shoulder to whirl him around, "Is that fish more interesting than me?" I tease, and suddenly my senses kicked into overdrive.

My nose was bombarded with the now infuriatingly familiar scent of a rainy Quidditch field, fudge treacle and a distinct aftershave I'd only smelled twice before but could pick out anywhere. My eyes were enveloped in Harry's green ones and the room suddenly became twenty degrees hotter than it had been a second before. I felt as though some magnetic force was drawing me closer inch by inch towards him and my brain was drowning in the midst of all this mayhem.

Somehow my mind registered that Harry wasn't saying anything either and that both of us were inching closer and closer to the other. I could smell his hot pumpkin-pie breath swirling around my bare neck. My entire body felt as though Lockhart had removed all my bones and my stomach was erupting with butterfly after butterfly.

"Hermione," Harry breathed and his hand reached out towards me just as Seamus bashed into Harry from behind.

Seamus apologized, "Sorry Mate, but one of them twins is after me with a nasty gadget of theirs." He turned heel and fled before the oncoming fury of George Weasley who was followed closely by Fred both carrying suspicious looking potions.

I offered Harry my hand to stand up and when he was back on his feet we nervously avoided each other's gaze, but Harry helped me pick up my presents and put them in the bag he'd given me. Ron had finished stuffing his pockets full of goodies and so we set off to the Gryffindor Common Room with our loot.

Most of Gryffindor was back in Flitwick's classroom partying themselves to death and even I was surprised to see a familiar figure sitting by the fire, face nearly hidden by a deluge of fiery red hair. When she saw us enter she stood up and walked directly over to me.

Harry, Ron and I stopped dead in our tracks, wondering what she would do. However, Ginny amazed us all by apologizing to me.

"I'm sorry Hermione." She said in a voice filled with fear and repentance, but still the tiniest hint of jealousy. "I should never have said those things or done what I did to you. They were horrible, I was just upset because y-you're-you're so important and I'm not." She looked at her feet. "You beat me in everything."

"I forgive you Ginny, and I'm sorry I didn't know that you were jealous of me." I replied a bit cautiously.

Her head flew up, "How could you not? Every goddamned girl in this school wants to be _you_!" she snapped. Harry glared at her.

Ginny shook her head, "I'm trying to work on this, please don't make it any harder than it already is." Ginny walked off and Ron and Harry exchanged a meaningful glance.

I made a few trips back and forth into our common room to take in my presents while Harry and Ron renewed their exclusive chess club. Since the boys were preoccupied I placed the new books I'd received in the bookshelves and the fish which I named Rebecca (after the brave Jewess from Ivanhoe) on my desk in the corner the book bag went there as well, but I couldn't decide where I wanted the charmed music box, and eventually left it in my room. The candy went there as well. The contraband found its way into the dresser (hopefully it will never see the light of day until I leave here.) The other assorted items I left in my room as well except the makeup which I hide in the bathroom.

After all that was finished I settled down in the Gryffindor Common Room to watch Harry and Ron's chess match spell out Harry's defeat (you'd think he'd learn poor boy…) while reading up on the _Betta Splendens Promettus._ I took comfort in knowing that some things will _never_ change…


	24. Lions and Serpents

**Chapter 23-Lions and Serpents**

_(Harry's POV)_

In the weeks that followed Hermione's birthday things went on as normal, and nothing absurd or suspicious happened, except that after much begging, cajoling and pleading the Slytherins managed to convince Malfoy to rejoin their Quidditch team as Seeker and Captain.

It turns out the first match of the season was between Hufflepuff and Slytherin and for the first time in centuries untold the Hufflepuffs slaughtered the Slytherins at an appalling 450 to 0. The blame for this humiliation was laid squarely at the feet of their new seeker, Pansy Parkinson and Captain Thanos Acheron. As punishment Parkinson was forced to resign her position (she was an unpopular choice to begin with having been the first female seeker for the house since it was founded), and Acheron was stripped of his title.

Meanwhile, Hufflepuff's seeker Zachariah Smith had attained overnight popularity and was hailed nearly everywhere as "Emperor Smith" even a few Gryffindors were pleased to join his entourage much to Ron's indignation. I think for once in Ron's life he actually felt sorry for the Slytherins after their utterly degrading defeat, and didn't help matters when Smith shoved Hermione aside in the hall one day calling her a 'mudblood.' I think Smith ended up in the hospital wing with a bloody nose and a black eye for that one (I was not present to punish either party of course…)

You see thanks to the book I had given Hermione for her birthday she made some very startling revelations about the founders and their lines. The ancient founders had all been married at one point to another founder. Ravenclaw and Gryffindor had married, and Slytherin and Hufflepuff had married. Thus explaining a good deal of other things. The lines of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tended to be carried through muggles for generations whereas the lines of Slytherin and Hufflepuff were some of the purest families that ever existed. After Slytherin came to light with his 'revisionist' views though he broke Hufflepuff's heart and they separated.

Of course, nobody really knows exactly what happened in the end to the four founders. All we know is that the reason why Gryffindor and Slytherin hate each other so much is because of what happened, and rumor has it that in the end the rift and fighting that ensued killed both men and perhaps their wives too.

So it was with much dread that I had gotten out of bed that morning because today was the first match that Gryffindor was playing this year, and it was against a fuming Slytherin team…

Rumor had it that Malfoy was driving his team to extraordinary lengths to make up for their dismal performance last match, after all if they didn't win this game against us they were out of the running for the Quidditch cup.

I looked out the window for the first time this morning and my heart fell, the weather was terrible. Of course in Scotland the weather is always very rough when it nears wintertime especially when you're in the mountains like we are, but today was just abominable: _Snow._

We had just entered October and it was already snowing, the sky was a murky gray and the wind was howling furiously as it blew the tiny flakes hither and thither. Fortunately the snow wasn't that bad right now and was really only flurries, but the wind was horrible. There wasn't much sense in complaining or worrying about it now though, we would still play no matter what the weather.

When I finally made it into our common room that morning I noticed Hermione was curled up in the fetal position on our couch. Her bright red and yellow Quidditch robes lay on a plump chair near the roaring fire. She didn't even look up when I came in. So I went over and sat next to her on the couch, slowly rubbing her back.

"You alright Hermione?" I ask cautiously

"No." Came the dismal answer.

"You're worried about the match." I stated in monotone.

She nodded.

"As I seem to remember 'every goddamned girl in this school wants to be _you_' and you want to know why they want to be you Hermione?" I encouraged

Hermione lifted her tear-stained face for the first time that morning. "Because I'm your friend, the friend of _the_ Harry Potter. Harry it's because _you_ are so handsome and brave and intelligent and loyal and famous that they want to be me. They envy my closeness to you. In fact do you know what they put in the _Witch Weekly_ about me over the summer?"

My over-protectiveness starts to kick in, "What?" I demand.

"They said the only reason why you hang out with me is because I do all your homework for you and because I'm your personal whore."

"_**WHAT?**_" I shout.

She nods.

I calm down a little by convincing myself that I going to have a good long talk with _Witch Weekly_ later on. "Hermione, you know that's not true. They are jealous of you because of me, yes, I admit that, but there are other things too."

"Like what?" she asks dejectedly.

I smile a little and lift up her chin, "You, Hermione are an exceptional young lady. Firstly, you are the most brilliant witch to walk this earth since Rowena Ravenclaw. They are jealous of your brilliant intellect and good grades. Second, you are a prefect and Head Girl, so you get tons of privileges. Third, you have the most beautiful and selfless character of anyone in this school except maybe Dumbledore. Fourth you have become rather…well…very…fanciable shall we say?"

She looks at me through her tear-filled ebony eyes and I wonder what is so _fascinating_ about them. "Do you really mean that?" she whispers

"You want me to post it all over the school? Or how about I go shout it to all of London in Diagon Alley? Perhaps I should write to the _Daily Prophet_ and have them publish an article on it all?" I joke as I help her stand up and brush away her tears.

She goes into her room and comes back out with her Quidditch robes on and a brilliant smile on her face, "You know Harry I have the perfect charms to keep us warm up there and prevent us from becoming blinded by the snow."

"Good, 'cause we're definitely going to need them with this weather." I said and then paused to think, "Hermione, can I cast a disillusionment charm on you?"

"Why?"

"It'll keep the taunting down to a minimum. The Slytherins are going to be really rowdy today, and I know Malfoy can't control them without raising too much suspicion. If they see you wearing these you won't be able to make a step without hearing dirty words."

She nodded yes and so I cast the charm, and Hermione appeared to melt from head to foot.

"This is really weird I feel like somebody cracked a cold egg on my back." She complained

"Get used to it you'll be practically invisible until you get to the locker room."

"Yeah. I just hope nobody sits on me."

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"I want you to know that whatever happens today you will always be my best friend and nothing, _nothing_ can change that."

"Thanks Harry." She replied leaning her head on my shoulder as we walked out.

After explaining the situation to Ron, "_Ohhh…._ I see Hermione's _sick_, can't make the match today…" the rumor quickly spread to the rest of the house and by the time the three of us reached the Great Hall I was getting bombarded with questions from my teammates asking what I was going to do about our 'sick' chaser.

I told them I had a trick or two up my sleeve which I'd reveal later and the seven of us huddled together at one end of the table, looking about nervously between the windows and the Slytherins wondering which was worse.

Zachariah Smith passed our table with his new adoring posse, "I see the mudblood won't be able to cheer you on today Potter, what a pity you'll need all the points you can get to beat Hufflepuff this year." I stood up so fast that I knocked over my plate onto the floor and the disillusioned Hermione barely had time to grab me before I punched the living daylights out of Smith.

Ron however, did get a swing or two in before McGonagall and Sprout intervened, which earned both boys a week's detention and a severe reprimand for me on not breaking up the fight.

I decided the sooner we got down to locker room the better so I hurried up the team with their breakfasts and all seven of us rushed over to the locker room before we were turned into icicles by standing still.

Once inside the relative warmth and safety of the Gryffindor Quidditch Locker room I brandished my wand and the entire team watched in surprise as I aimed it at 'thin air' and muttered the counter-charm to reveal our newest team member.

"Bloody Brilliant Harry!" exclaimed Fred

George slapped me on the back, "That was awesome; the Slytherins won't know what's hit them when Hermione flies out today."

"Literally." Agreed Fred.

"That's _if_ we _get_ out." Commented Ginny rather sourly as she looked out the window.

"I have just the way around that too!" Hermione cried excitedly.

After casting seven separate _impervious glacias_ and heating charms and a long-winded strategy talk from Ron the players went about gathering their brooms from the closet, only to find them not there.

"What the bloody hell happened here?" Ron cursed, "This must be some conspiracy between Smith and his Slytherin cronies, not one of our brooms is here!" he angrily threw open the door to reveal an empty decrepit and dusty broom closet.

"Perhaps you should look in the _other_ broom closet." Came the friendly voice of Oliver Wood from where he stood the windswept doorway.

Sure enough another, previously invisible closet revealed itself, not five inches from Ron.

Ron opened the door to find seven practically identical firebolts, each one having the name and number of a player painted on in gold filigree, upon further inspection we also found the Gryffindor crest on the other side of the handle.

"**Bloody Hell**!" Ron said ever so eloquently.

"I hope you don't mind," Wood said turning to Hermione and I, "I took the liberty of putting your names and numbers on your brooms too, plus they're all in top working condition guaranteed by the _Puddlemere United_ team's broom servicer and _Quality Quidditch Supplies_."

"We don't mind at all, thank you Wood." Hermione said with a smile, meanwhile Ginny was sitting in a corner, admiring her broom and tracing her painted name. Katie was in an animated discussion with the twins talking about all the new tactics they could use these brooms for and Ron was sitting alone in a another corner, but to my surprise he was crying.

I went over and sat by him, "What' wrong Ron? Wood and I thought everyone would like them."

"There's no problem Harry, it's just you don't understand this is only the third new thing I've gotten in my life. First my new wand, then those robes from Fred and George and now this and this is-is _awesome_!" then he embarrassedly wiped away his tears and after some brief strategy discussion with Wood we all lined up to fly out into the stadium.

The first one in line is typically the Team Captain, me and I put Hermione beside me to make sure she didn't get too nervous, and we were followed by Katie and Ginny with the twins coming next and Ron taking up the rear. "I like being in the back Harry, that way I get to see where everybody else is and not worry about being hit from behind."

With a rumble the wooden door rolled up above us and we heard Colin Creevy's squeaky voice shouting loudly during the lull in the storm, "TODAY'S MATCH IS GRYFFINDOR VS. SLYTHERIN. HERE COME THE SLYTHERIN TEAM WITH IT'S NEW CAPTAIN AND RETURNED SEEKER DRACO MALFOY, FOLLOWED BY ZABINI, CRABBE, GOYLE, BULSTRODE, NOTT AND FORMER CAPTAIN ACHERON!

"NEXT WE HAVE THE TWO-YEAR RUNNING CHAMPIONS: GRYFFINDOR WITH NEW TEAM CAPTAIN HARRY POTTER, FOLLOWED BY GRANGER, WEASLEY, BELL, WEASLEY, WEASLEY AND WEASLEY."

I grinned at the shocked faces of the crowd, and especially the Slytherins when Hermione was announced after me and even more so when they realized we all had new firebolts. _Oh yes, they will be an interesting game…_

Draco and I were called down to shake hands as the Captains. He advanced with his typical I-am-King-of-the-World strut, hair slicked into 'perfection' and he extended his hand, I took it to shake and he whispered for the two of us to hear alone, "Don't expect an easy game Potter we've got a lot of ground to make up."

"Well you'll have a hard time getting anything from my team Malfoy." I said playing on our old (and somewhat dormant) rivalry.

Then Madame Hooch gave her typical warnings about a clean game and so forth, we re-mounted our brooms the quaffle was released and the game began.

I promised myself when I put Hermione on the team that I would spend my time searching for the snitch the way I was supposed to, but I admit it was rather difficult since I was so proud of my team when they played like this.

Hermione, taking an aggressive stance had grabbed the released quaffle from right under Bulstrode's nose and passed it to Katie and she in turn passed it to Ginny, and the three of them continued like this, breaking the pattern of passing to keep the Slytherins on their toes and finally Katie Bell scored the first goal of the game.

Now the Slytherins were in possession and Hermione had disappeared downfield while Katie and Ginny wrestled over the ball with Bulstrode and Nott. Everything was going according to Ron's plan until I barely caught what Creevy was attempting to scream above the storm. It seems Crabbe aggravated by the way the match was going, not to mention a 'mudblood' playing against them had 'accidentally' hit the bludger towards Ron.

Ron, who was set on blocking the hoops from the oncoming mass of four chasers fighting over the quaffle hadn't noticed the bludger, or Creevy's frantic screaming.

Fred had tried zooming over on his firebolt to smack the bludger away from his brother, but it was already too late, with a sickening thud the furious bludger crashed into Ron's head and Ron tumbled off his broom. I could barely make him out through the swirling snow despite Hermione's charm it was really his brilliant hair and robes that helped me find him.

Being the next closest player on our team to save him from certain death besides Fred who was now attempting to defend Hermione from the same bludger I nose-dived after Ron.

It seemed forever until I caught up with him, and the snow bit into my face and tore up my hands as I descended at a furious speed.

About twenty feet from the ground I swooped under his body and barely caught him. It was an even further challenge to hold unto him as his impact severely winded me and made us drop a few feet far too quickly. While clinging to Ron with my right arm I attempted to straighten my broom with my left, and managed to skid to the ground a little awkwardly where Madams Pomfrey and Hooch were already waiting with a stretcher.

Now our Gryffindor posts were unprotected and I watched in despair as Slytherin scored goal after goal against us. That is not to say that we didn't score because we most certainly did, but currently the score was already 90-80 in our favor and neither Malfoy nor I had caught so much as a glimpse of the snitch.

Five seconds later George Weasley zoomed to my side just in time to send a bludger from Goyle destined for my head back after Bulstrode. In that time Malfoy finally seemed to have spotted the snitch hovering over the Ravenclaw stands and he took off at top speed towards it. I cursed under my breath and sped after him, but Malfoy had a lead of easily three hundred feet and he was closing in fast.

Just then, Ginny Weasley flew within a hair's breath of Malfoy's outstretched arm with the Quaffle under her right arm and a mischievous grin on her barely visible face. In her wake chased both Acheron and Bulstrode.

Creevy's ecstatic voice announced from the loudspeaker, "AND GINNY WEASLEY BUYS POTTER A LITTLE MORE TIME TO FIND THE SNITCH BY NEARLY SMASHING INTO MALFOY'S NOSE."

Ginny passed to Katie who passed to Hermione who scored and then Slytherin took possession again.

Another hour ticked by and no sign of the snitch since Malfoy's close call with Ginny. The score was now 140-120 in Slytherins' favor, and I could practically see the Slytherins sneering from their green and silver stands.

"AND GEORGE WEASLEY HITS THE BLUDGER TOWARDS ACHERON AND HITS HIS LEFT ARM, MAKING HIM DROP THE QUAFFLE! NICE HIT GEORGE! NOW KATIE BELL TAKES POSSESSION!" Creevy's ever-rapturous voice was really beginning to get obnoxious…

After five more goals by Slytherin and seven by our chasers the score was tied and then all hell broke loose. Ginny in a fit of anger stole the quaffle right out of Zabini's hands and threw it very hard at Bulstrode's head where it ricocheted off and into Hermione's waiting arms. Millicent fell off her broom and Goyle sent a powerful bludger after Hermione. Fred Weasley sent the other one at Goyle while Hermione ducked away and Draco started screaming at Zabini to catch Bulstrode as she hurtled towards the earth.

Ginny zoomed by me with a quick, "Snitch is behind Zabini's top hoop." Hermione scored another goal and Katie took advantage of Zabini's absence to score another one.

I think Madame Hooch was going crazy at the bottom of the field she was waving her arms but I couldn't make out what she was saying and I had a snitch to catch.

By this time I knew that if I didn't catch the snitch both teams would be slaughtered in the next hour. As of now both Ron and Bulstrode were out of the game, Acheron had a broken arm, George Weasley's nose was bleeding due to the bad conditions and Draco Malfoy had been hit by a bludger from Fred earlier that must have cracked his rib.

So my frantic chase began, sure enough the snitch was hiding behind Zabini's goalposts, but now Malfoy was hot on my tail, and I wasn't going to take the firebolt's speed for granted.

The snitch dived down towards the pitch and we both followed, my brain vaguely remembers registering Creevy screaming something at me, which I ignored.

_**Smack!**_ A bludger cracked into my left side, which must have broken a rib or two at least, but I _had_ to catch that damn snitch.

The snitch flew into the scaffolding beneath the stands where wooden beams abounded and which became more and more difficult to avoid due to the poor lighting, increased speeds and the fact that Malfoy was right on my tail.

Suddenly our path took us back into the open air and what little natural light was left during this storm. My hands felt like they were turning to ice and I knew there was a huge gaping cut on my face from something because I could feel the blood already starting to coagulate because of the extreme cold.

My hair was a thick sheet of ice, but I think Malfoy must've had a worse time because of his hair gel, but the snitch did not care about any of this, rather it took off instead towards the teacher's stand at top speed and me-desperate to end this insanity-took on it's suicidal challenge.

It was such a sharp turn that I took to avoid hitting Snape's head that I was afraid I would have whiplash for the next six years, but I had just missed the snitch again and I vaguely remember hearing Colin screech out the score as, "230-210 in Slytherin's favor."

Somehow I seemed to have lost Malfoy in my suicidal charge and glanced around ever so briefly during my chase of the snitch to see that Malfoy was attempting to avoid crashing into the teacher's stand, but his broom didn't have the turning radius of the firebolt and he broke off part of his broom handle avoiding the edge of the stand. The snitch was a mere fifteen feet from my outstretched hand.

"SECOND SCORE BY GRANGER IN AS MANY MINUTES! NOW THE SCORE IS TIE AGAIN AT 230-230!" screeched Colin desperate to be heard above the storm.

_Come on Potter, you can do this!_ I pushed the firebolt further than I'd ever pushed it before, even more than with the dragon during the Triwizard Tournament. I was rapidly gaining on that infuriating gold ball…

Finally my numb and cut up hand enclosed around the cold gleaming snitch which I held up proudly for all to see.

"AND HARRY POTTER CATCHES THE SNITCH FOR 150 POINTS BRINGING THE SCORE TO 380-230 TO GRYFFINDOR!" Creevy excitedly proclaimed to the listeners.

Just as he announced this though two things happened so quickly I barely saw them, Crabbe and Goyle fired the bludgers at Hermione and Fred Weasley. Malfoy, who had just fully regained control of his broken broom happened to be flying right in one of the bludger's paths. So he was hit by Hermione's bludger in the head and Fred Weasley was impounded in the chest by the other one. Both players fell off their brooms.

Hermione whipped out her wand and screamed something I could not hear which slowed their descent, but nobody could reach them in time-not even Hermione who wasn't strong enough anyways.

Malfoy and Fred hit the ground at nearly the same time and screams of fear and anger filled the crowd, the teachers rushed onto the pitch and I flew over at breakneck speed too, but both boys were in terrible condition and bruises were already starting to form on the exposed skin which had already been cut up due to the swirling snow and ice.

Hermione came up behind me, tears threatening to pour from her eyes as she whispered to me, "Harry he made that look like an accident-but it wasn't Malfoy saved _my_ life."


	25. All is Not as It Seems

**Chapter 24-All is Not as It as It Seems**

_(Hermione's POV)_

A few weeks later I woke up to an abnormal noise…_was my 'alarm clock' whimpering?_ In a somewhat hazy state of mind due to the fact I'd just opened my eyes I glanced over at the infernal thing. The watch read 0423.

It was not supposed to go off that early, and slowly my sleep-fogged brain registered that it _wasn't_ the one making the noise.

My brain clicked…_Harry…nightmare…in his room…now_. My covers were off in a flash and I threw open my door crossing the hall in three quick strides to toss open the Head Boy's bedroom door.

My friend lay writhing in his sheets, glistening with cold sweat murmuring unintelligible things. The expression on his face was one of pure misery and I knew it was Voldemort again, something in my chest welled up like a volcano on the verge of erupting. _Why can't you lay off a bit you fucking bastard!_

I reached out to Harry and laid my hands on his shoulder, trying to steady him, "Harry, it's a dream…just a nightmare. Wake up!" he was still tossing violently and his hair was incredibly-but understandably-messy.

Finally I had to holler in his ear and shake him before he opened his eyes. He looked up at me in horror, his left hand groping towards his nightstand for his glasses. I saw them and picked them up to place in his hand. Meanwhile Harry was edging away from me still staring at me with his terrified expression.

After he got his glasses on he took a sigh of relief, and only then did I notice he had somehow found his wand and was now lowering it. "Hermione." He breathed heavily.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I queried briefly glancing into his unreadable expression as I attempted to straighten his sheets for him.

Some painful emotion flitted across his face before he turned away to look at a candle by his bedside. He waved his wand over the candle before turning back to me, and a small flame flickered in the residual breeze.

"How is you can master wordless spell casting so easily after the first lesson while the rest of us show no signs of improvement?" I joke and after a pause I become concerned again, "Seriously Harry, you can tell me _anything_."

He shook his head almost imperceptibly, had I not been looking for it I might not have noticed.

"Harry I was with you at the Ministry last year along with everyone else I can handle everything-anything, please say something." I pleaded as my hands unconsciously twisted his newly straightened sheets into a knot.

He was trying so hard to be strong. If I looked closely though, I could see his labored breathing rattling his sweat-drenched bare back and he had buried his messy hair in his hands.

I crossed to the other side of the bed where he was sitting and placed my arm over his shoulder, "Please Harry." I said softly "I can handle whatever this stupid dark lord's got to dish out."

"Not this." He croaked and for the first time since he recognized me that night he raised his face to meet mine, and placed a steadying arm on _my_ shoulder. "Not this Hermione." Right there I didn't know which scared me more, his hollow tone or his stricken expression which I had only seen once before when Sirius died. It was then that I felt _truly_ afraid.

Hours later Harry, Ron and I were sitting down at the breakfast table in the Great Hall discussing our schedule for the day.

"You know," said Ron while piling danishes and bacon onto his already overflowing plate, "I definitely don't regret not getting the required grade for potions. I saw that last essay Harry was working on for the great git-face, something about the properties and uses of hemlock in restorative draughts…Don't want to be the one he tests it on."

"Honestly Ronald, if you ever _read_ the textbook you'd know that if mixed properly hemlock is completely harmless." I retort disgusted by his lack of attentiveness to critical facts, and his simply animalistic tendencies towards food. "And _you_," I said rounding on an unsuspecting Harry, "ought to let people know about these dreams of yours, they've always meant something before." I was still mad at him for saying nothing more about his nightmare and going back to sleep like nothing happened.

"Zee za anovr reem?" Ron managed between mouthfuls.

"Horrors. I can actually speak _Ron_…" I respond astounded at his lack of manners, "Yes you idiot," I hissed as Ron leaned in, "Harry had another nightmare and he won't say a _thing_ about it."

Ron gulped his food down, looking very pale suddenly and clearing his mouth momentarily, "Harry mate, you oughta tell someone."

"It's probably just another Department of Mysteries fiasco waiting to occur." Harry mumbled burying himself in _How to find Dark Wizards and their Magic Around You by: Para Noia_, and I noticed with concern mingled with fury he had not touched his plate of eggs and sausage.

Nothing else of interest happened during breakfast other Harry not even touching his fork, and Ron finishing his meal for him. Harry, on the other hand did not even notice and rather was scribbling furiously on a sheet of parchment with the dark wizard book and _Not-so-Everyday Jinxes and Hexes by: Clavus Clarkus_ lying open side-by-side.

"Harry, did you steal Hermione's brain last night?" joked Ron as he stared in astonishment at Harry while gathering his own things to go to Moody's class while Harry still wrote.

"No." was his curt response. After three more words he finished up his sentence and crammed everything into his bag unaware of Ron's and my own befuddled looks, "Let's go to class before the real Moody decides to use us as his own duel partners."

Ron and I exchanged a glance, but we set off nonetheless after our friend.

Somehow, between the Great Hall and the Defense classroom Ron became telepathic and read my mind, sliding into the seat beside Harry before the lesson and attempting to get something out of Harry about last night while I found myself next to Neville Longbottom.

By the time Professor Moody arrived though, Ron had annoyed Harry so much that Harry shouted at him to, "SHUT IT! I'll handle my own problems thank you!"

"Really?" replied the professor in that sadistic happy sort of gleeful voice he used when asking for, and eventually picking volunteers. Ron shrunk away from Harry noticeable and Harry looked up at the professor very confused.

"Very well Mr. Potter I would have chosen you anyway seeing as you are the only one capable. Come stand up here please." Professor Moody was positively rubbing his hands together with excitement. Neville blanched and opened a book hastily to look busy.

Harry stood up slowly, walking over to Professor Moody, "Now," the professor began, "Today's lesson is very dangerous so I have asked the assistance of one of your old teachers, Professor Lupin, to help with today's proceedings." A great applause broke out amongst the class, except for the few Slytherins, although Malfoy did not make a sarcastic comment or glare as he was wont to do on such occasions.

The werewolf entered the room from a side door levitating a giant chest caked in ice and locked shut tight.

"Now who here can tell me what is inside that box just by the signs evident on the outside and the fact that only Potter of all of you has previously proven himself against whatever is in there?" demanded Moody his eye sweeping the class looking for hands, and no doubt, other things.

My hand shot into the sir and Ron smirked in my direction, and the nervous hand of Ernie MacMillian and lazy one of Malfoy pointed towards the ceiling.

The professor gave me a quick wink, but chose Malfoy just as I was about to blurt the answer.

"Mr. Malfoy, I do believe you with a half-dozen in this class have likely been unfortunate enough to be in close quarters with these foul beasts, so what is it?"

"The ice on the box, and the fact that this room has dropped significantly temperature wise-even Potter's tell-tale heroics indicate only one thing in there…a dementor." Said the Slytherin dramatically.

"Very good. Five points to Slytherin. Now who can tell me which incantation is used against a dementor and how it is produced excluding Mr. Malfoy."

My hand shot up along with every old DA member present in the room.

"Miss Granger care to enlighten the rest of your class?"

"There is only one known spell that affects a dementor, the Patronus Charm. The incantation is _Expecto Patronum_ derived from the Latin words for 'welcome' and 'father.' The only way to conjure a corporeal patronus is to think of a very powerful happy memory so that the patronus acts as a shield for you against the dementor which sucks away your happy memories-and if you let it-your soul." I quote

"Excellent Granger. Take ten points for a perfect answer." Professor Moody replied. "Now, I have taken great care to procure this monster for class today, and _CONSTANT VIGILENCE_ will be a necessity. Yes, Lupin and I will be here to cast our patronuses if there is a problem, but I would rather you learn how to cast one in the face of a real dementor as in the REAL world there will not be ANYONE to protect you." Moody said threateningly making the class jump.

Our school supplies were placed in one corner, and the desks were vanished. Lupin was unlocking the trunk while Harry stood, wand drawn in front and Moody was in front of the rest of the class in the back. I could already feel the chilling presence flooding my mind even though the chest wasn't fully opened.

On "three" the shriveled monster soared out of the crate and made for Harry, and I was suddenly remembering last summer when Harry had read Sirius' will which flashed to Ron's teasing first year.

This was interrupted by Harry's bellowing tenor voice, "You won't touch them you _filth_! _Expecto Patronum!_" Harry's handsome silver stag erupted from his wand and chased the foul thing back into the chest.

"Well done." Said Professor Lupin clapping Harry on the back.

"Well, Potter has certainly achieved an _O_ for today's class, now that you have seen how it's done I want you all to practice making a patronus without a dementor first. Then once this has been accomplished we will line up once again for a try at this little bugger." Growled Professor Moody patting the trunk almost affectionately "Oh yes, almost forgot-twenty points to Gryffindor for courage, intelligence and one perfect patronus!" as he slapped Harry on the back a bit too hard and Harry winced.

The rest of us split up to conjure our own patronuses while Harry, Lupin and Professor Moody walked around helping.

All of the DA members I am happy to say remembered perfectly and I gazed over at Harry with admiration for his teaching skills before turning back to my own otter which was currently being chased by Ron's monkey.

"Ron!" I scolded, "call off your dumb monkey!"

He guffawed. "Naw, after all it's only a monkey Herms what can it do?"

"NEVER CALL ME 'HERMS'!" I screech and due to Ron's loss in concentration his monkey evaporated and my otter flickered before returning to it's near opaque silver state.

Ron stayed away from me for the rest of the class. Neville's camel presented no threat. I looked around the class in interest to see everyone else's patronuses.

Parvati had a leopard while Lavender was the proud owner of a…goat? Seamus had horse and I looked around for Malfoy only to see him cursing himself in the corner and shaking his wand with fury,

"Damn wand, must be malfunctioning." He sputtered and I saw to my surprise Harry walking over to him.

After twenty minutes of Harry's tutelage Malfoy produced a feeble bald eagle.

Then we all queued up and somehow Ron managed to push me to the front.

"Let's see if your books are all they're cracked up to be!" sneered some random Slytherin and my heart fell to my stomach. _What if my patronus doesn't work? What if I fail Harry and the DA?_

Lupin searched my face for the go-ahead before I grimly nodded and before I knew it the foul creature was bearing down on me and I could only smell its putrid breath…and only think of…that day I got the letter _Killed in Action_.

"_Expecto Patronum._" I chanted, not thinking.

Nothing happened.

My vision was going black. _Think something really happy_. Harry's voice reverberated in my head.

I forced my memory of Harry winning his first Quidditch match into my mind.

"_Expecto Patronum!_"

Nothing happened and things were shrinking, getting blurry. I felt like an icicle.

_Really happy thought_. A voice echoed in my rapidly emptying mind. Whose voice was that? After a long pause that felt like years I connected the voice to a name…Harry…which went to a memory. _He's Alive! The Dragon didn't get him!_

"_EXPECTO PATRONUM!_" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

A gigantic otter seemed to explode from my wand and forced the dementor away, relief washed over me like rain. The room felt warmer, there was somebody grinning at me.

Somebody awarded fifteen points to Gryffindor and a strong arm from the grinning face pulled me to my feet, "Knew you could do it Hermione." Whispered the voice from my memory…Harry…as he embraced me and I felt safe again.

Ron was next after me, and he did pretty well and on the fourth try his ghost-like tiny monkey (along with help from Moody's bear) forced the dementor into the chest. Ron returned to us white-faced but grinning from ear-to-ear.

"I did it-sort of!" He exclaimed.

Neville did surprisingly well, his camel conquered the dementor by itself on the third try to Ron's dismay.

Everyone else more or less did worse, a few managed non-corporeal patronuses but Malfoy was a shock.

After his third try he collapsed on the floor, like I must have done but he seemed terrified and very lethargic.

After three more desperate tries Moody had his bear chase the monster back in its cage. Malfoy, passed out was sent to the hospital.

The three of us commented on his performance after class while Harry and I went to the dungeons for Potions and Ron to Divination.

"Why d'you suppose Malfoy couldn't conjure _anything_ when everybody else at least got some swirly stuff?" asked Ron with a gleeful tone, "Perhaps he would rather command it to suck out Harry's soul or something."

"Actually Ron…" Harry began shocking both of us, "it's very different from that. You see I was talking to him during the lesson. He and I are actually really similar." Harry sighed, "He doesn't have _any_ memory happy enough."

A/N: Sorry for lack of updates, but I've had a death in the family. Additionally, I am not going to be update for approx 2 wks due to work.


	26. Merlin and Nimue

Chapter 25-Merlin and Nimue

(Harry's POV)

Hermione, in her usual brilliance decided to surprise Ron and I at breakfast on Saturday with two very shocking pieces of paper. The first was from a bulletin board that she had stolen and read the following,

"_In Accordance with long-standing tradition the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, has decided that the annual apparition examination for any student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at or above the age of sixteen by December 31, 1997 will take place in Hogsmeade village at six am on the day of October 27, 1997. All participating students will be excused from classes for the day. Practice sessions can be obtained through talking to your respective head of house. Should any student be unable to complete and/or pass the test any re-takes came be scheduled through Wilfreda Nordzen of the Department of Magical Transportation. _

_ Signed,_

_ Percival Ignatius Weasley_

_Professional Under-Assistant to the Under-Secretary of the Minister of Magic"_

"Let me see _that!_" roared Ron snatching the offending bulletin from Hermione's hands.

Hermione shook her head and merely turned to me, ignoring Ron's outburst of anger towards his still estranged brother. "I think we should try to get some extra practice sessions scheduled with McGonagall seeing as none of us has really apparated before." She said rather calmly in contrast to Ron who was positively fuming and his ears had turned their characteristic red, matching his hair.

"You AGREE with _HIM?_" shouted Ron nearly screeching in anger waving his brother's crumpled missive rather violently in front of us.

"I never said I agreed with him, Ron, I was simply commenting to Harry that we should talk to Professor McGonagall about some extra lessons." Hermione retorted with a hint of annoyance

"Whatever." Mumbled Ron in a low voice and he dropped the subject after a glare from me and continued with his breakfast all the while cursing Percy between mouthfuls.

Then Hermione reached into her pocket and handed me something and I looked down into my hand to see the familiar spidery thin writing of our Headmaster addressing the envelope and its contents to me.

After breaking the wax crest of the Headmaster's office that sealed it and tore out the paper inside I began to skim the lines,

"_Dear Harry (and Miss Granger too as I expect she is looking over your shoulder), [Hermione blushed here]_

_I am writing to apologize for the tardiness of some things we spoke about earlier in the year. I would appreciate it greatly if you and the young Miss Granger would please come to my office at eight am this morning and return at seven this evening for we have much to discuss, but mostly it focuses on the delay of our lessons. Again I apologize for my tardiness and hope that you are finding you first few weeks here agreeable._

_ Sincerely,_

_ Albus Dumbledore_

_P.S.: I very much like 'Exploding Chocolate Sherbet Balls.'"_

Ron, after finally getting over the shock of his brother's announcement had become fully absorbed in his meal and hadn't even noticed that there was a letter, or that I had opened and read it.

_How are we going to tell Ron though, that we need to go see the Headmaster without him?_

Hermione seemed to have read my mind however, "Ron," she began a bit nervously.

He did not look up from his waffles.

"Ron," she said with more confidence, "Harry and I need to go talk to Professor Dumbledore after breakfast about some Head stuff." She lied and my head whipped around, surprised at the ease with which she did so.

Hermione gave no notice of me though, and simply watched as Ron grunted his approval between gulps of pumpkin juice.

She then decided to round on me, "Harry James Potter this had better _not_ be about those dreams of yours!" she hissed so Ron didn't hear.

I was shocked that she had remembered that incident, over a week ago now where I had been screaming during a nightmare and she had come in to wake me up.

Of course I had not forgotten._ How could I forget something that horrible?_ Those dreams weren't real though I knew that by now. _I mean look at what happened last year because of my dreams._ That didn't mean I had stopped having them though, I just put a silencing charm on my door every night instead.

I shook my head a little _too_ quickly, and took one last slurp of my juice before burying myself behind one of the many defensive books I'd been tearing up the library to find after those dreams started.

Ron pulled down the book with a very queer look on his face, "Mate, why don't you give Hermione her brain back?"

"Because Ron, it isn't _her_ brain, it's _mine_." I respond pulling up _Blocking the Unblockable: Theories about Defeating the Unforgiveables by: Ronan Kipling_.

This time Hermione pulled the book down, "Harry, please this isn't like you reading during every free minute, even if it is about DADA. Could you tell us what happened?" Ron nodded vigorously in agreement.

"I'm just worried about what happened last year at the Ministry; I don't want to make the same mistake twice." I lied quickly hiding behind my book again before my face that rivaled Ron's hair gave me away. _Hermione's going to know I lied to her…_

Suddenly Ginny swept in and seated herself beside Ron. "What's up?" she asked cheerily, but her tone belied the fact that she had noticed the tension between the three of us and she looked at each of us in turn as if asking for an answer.

"Oh-" Ron stopped abruptly and he winced and glared briefly at Hermione.

"Nothing." Finished Hermione quickly concentrating on her plate.

Several minutes later Hermione jumped up from her seat and yanked on my elbow. "C'mon Harry we've got to go talk to the Headmaster about our _duties_." She said with a pointed glare at the now empty staff table.

Ron waved briefly before returning to the daunting task of filling his bottomless stomach and Ginny positively glared at him.

The walk to Professor Dumbledore's office was rather quiet, perhaps too much so, and I knew that I had finally committed a crime so heinous in Hermione's eyes that I now required 'the silent treatment' as punishment, something she usually reserved for the Twins when they did something exceptionally bad or Ron when he called her a really awful insult.

_She couldn't handle what was in that dream though._ My conscience tried to reason with me. I felt horrible about not telling her, and then lying about the whole thing, but I just _couldn't_ tell her.

"Exploding Chocolate Sherbet Balls." Snapped Hermione at the stone griffin guarding the entrance to Dumbledore's office.

The peculiar noise of stone grinding stone startled me and Hermione grabbed my arm a little more roughly than usual and we both stepped onto the rotating staircase that wound its way up to stop in front of the thick oaken doors braced together with blackened iron.

Before I could touch the handle they sprung open to reveal the professor sitting behind his usually cluttered desk in pale green robes that were embroidered in an unusual pattern. Fawkes was sitting contentedly on his perch preening his feathers.

With a quick blink the Headmaster conjured two fluffy purple couches from thin air in front of his desk and motioned for us to sit down.

"Now, I suppose you are both wondering as to why I have called the two of you here, but not your good friend Mr. Weasley." He began looking between the two of us. He paused for a second and something seemed to click in his mind almost instantly, but he showed no recognition of anything except a look of profound sadness and resignation in his eyes.

Then he looked away, over at a portrait of a squat middle-aged woman with dirty blond hair and nervous hazel eyes, "Yolanda if you would be so nice as to notify Remus Lupin of increased security at location number five I would be most obliged."

"Certainly Albus." She replied quickly and disappeared from view.

Hermione and I looked at him rather puzzled, "I shall have to ask you some questions in private later Harry, but for now I think it best if we went on as planned." He then temporarily closed his eyes and his desk was swept clean.

Hermione and I, despite ourselves exchanged a befuddled glance before turning our eyes back to him, then a second later five nearly identical long, narrow boxes appeared and on each was inscribed a coat of arms. Four of these five I knew quite well, they were perhaps more detailed, but were, nonetheless the crests of the four Hogwarts houses.

The last box was a bit longer and wider than the rest, but not substantially so, and its snowy white shield stood out very well against the dark furnished look of the box. Upon closer examination there were four stars, two silver, two gold that intertwined with each other to create the tail feathers of a beautiful phoenix and behind the phoenix was one simple gray chevron.

"Perhaps Miss Granger would like to enlighten us as to whose seal this is?" Dumbledore asked holding up the fifth box for her examination.

She stared hard at it for a minute before gasping. "I-It matches all the descriptions I've ever read about the coat of arms that Merlin used, but that's not possible since Merlin used enchantments so that nobody else but him could replicate the crest."

"But it _is_ Merlin's, my dear girl as is what is inside of the box." Said Professor Dumbledore with a twinkle in his eye that he would have when referring to setting his bed curtains afire 'by accident' during his fourth year or when naming the items on Filch's contraband list.

"If it is Merlin's though, sir wouldn't that mean that only he could open it, but Merlin never had any children." Hermione reasoned.

"That is true." Replied the headmaster eyes still twinkling, "But tell me, please, who is associated with Merlin from the old tales?"

"Arthur, Mordred, Guinevere, Lancelot and…that lady he loved." I said remembering it from one of Dudley's books that he made me read for him.

"Nimue." Completed Hermione. "That doesn't do us any good though, because Merlin never had any children, even with Nimue."

"No he did not." Replied the bemused professor.

He then started to slide the lid of the box back, "NO!" I shouted because even though the box wasn't open I could sense some very strong magic emanating from all five, especially Merlin's.

"No worries Harry." Dumbledore replied unfazed, and he slid the lid completely off to reveal a very ornate, very ancient sword.

The handle was gold twined with silver and a phoenix for the top part. The bird was exquisitely carved with diamonds blinking out from its eye sockets. "MERLIN" was etched into the blade itself towards the top surrounded by tiny little runes I could not read. The blade itself, without the handle must have been easily four feet long.

Dumbledore drew the blade from its resting place and his eyes glowed white for the briefest of moments, and then comprehension dawned on me. "Y-You're MERLIN!" I stuttered.

He nodded.

"Wouldn't that b-be impossible?"

"No, Merlin's animageus form is the phoenix so he is're-born' every 150 years."

"And the others?" prompted Hermione

"Surprisingly are here too."

"Impossible," she scoffed, "It's so rare to have a phoenix animageus form that only two documented examples are known: Merlin and you sir, and now clearly that's one person. It would be impossible for five others from the same generation to have the same animageus seeing as nobody can ever have the same form in the same generation anyway." Hermione stopped rambling to look up at Dumbledore's face which, was as usual, quite amused.

"As is your wont, Miss Granger, you always think logically and analytically. Most of the time it serves you very well. However, here it prevents you from 'thinking outside the box' as the muggles call it. Hermione looked very miffed at this comment, but Dumbledore ignored her to continue.

"Technically Miss Granger is right though, Harry, it is impossible for anyone to have the same animageus form of anyone else living unless they are twins, which is a different story altogether. However, she did not consider that there are other means of living for an extended period of time. Maybe you can help us fix this quandary Harry, how else can someone live for a long period of time?"

Flashes of our first year blur through my head to fixate on one ruby-red stone, "The Elixir of Life sir."

"Quite right Harry that is how Nimue survived this long. However, even the elixir has its limitations and every 150 years or so, you are re-born into another body. Any guesses as to who she might be?"

Hermione's eyes lit up, "Of course, she's Professor McGonagall!"

"Right again. You see, in some form or other, we have been watching over this school since before it was founded." Smiled Dumbledore.

"The stone was destroyed though, wasn't it?"

"_That_ sorcerer's stone was destroyed by Nicholas Flamel and his wife, but _the_ stone was not." He said in a near-whisper.

"You two are the Flamels as well?" I blurted.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled even more. "Really it is a wonder you both weren't placed in Ravenclaw. Which leads me to my other revelations, Arthur was the ancestor of Gryffindor and Guinevere the ancestress of Ravenclaw. However, as both of you were raised Muggles I must dispel a few rumors that are taught as 'fact' about their lives.

Guinevere and Arthur really and truly loved each other and she never fell in love with Lancelot, he was simply a very close family friend, which was taken the 'wrong way' by many courtiers back then. This faction was lead by Arthur's illegitimate son, Mordred in hopes that by discrediting his father's wife he would inherit the throne instead of the young twins, a boy and girl that the couple had.

Eventually the children were written off as illegitimate offspring of an adulterous relationship despite many physical resemblances to Arthur and disappeared from muggle records. The rest of their story, however, is unfortunately true." Dumbledore paused here to take a deep sigh.

"Six centuries later the last of young boy's line was a certain courageous Godric Gryffindor, and the last of the girl's line was a beautiful and intelligent Rowena Ravenclaw. Their lines had separated so much in those six hundred years that they were no longer considered related when they married. As for Mordred's line, the whole affair was hushed up rather quickly, so that unlike with Rowena, Godric never knew that when he made friends with Salazaar Slytherin he was making friends with his family's ancient enemy. Lancelot's family line, like the other four had but one remaining heir and she was Helga Hufflepuff.

"Now, as you both know, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw married as did Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Godric and Rowena had two children and once again their lines branched out. Leaving Godric's line to be led by James Cambridge in the late 1800's. He is your great-great grandfather on your father's side Harry." Dumbledore paused again, Rowena's line split in two again somewhere in the 1200's so by the late 1800's her line was represented by Donald Campbell and Fitzwilliam Pevensie. Campbell was Harry's great-great grandfather on his mother's side whereas Pevensie is Miss Granger's great-great grandfather on her mother's side."

"This doesn't mean I'm related to Harry does it?" Hermione asked in a worried tone.

"No, you are not related to Harry, in fact you are as closely related to him as you are related to the Queen of England. Your lines divided a millennia ago, and no government holds that as relation, muggle or wizard."

"Thank God." Muttered Hermione under her breath.

"Why, you don't want to be related to me?" I teased, and then froze, knowing what she'd been thinking. _Last summer at three am on the couch…Thank God we're not related!_

Dumbledore watched us both curiously for a minute, then decided whatever he'd been thinking of saying wasn't worth it and continued on, "Then this is where we start entering guesswork, we know that Salazaar and Helga had one child, but their respective lines split in the 1400's with Charles Maximillian for Slytherin and Mary Boleyn for Hufflepuff. Now, you must both understand, typically the founders chose for their reincarnated to be the same gender as themselves and the Gryffindor/Ravenclaw lines were 'dormant' for centuries before resurfacing. Whereas the Slytherin/Hufflepuff lines have been wizards every generation since then making them the oldest pureblood families in existence. I have been unable to find conclusive evidence as to who Slytherin's heir might be, but I do believe that Hufflepuff's line went from Mary Boleyn (Yes I understand it was _not_ Anne Miss Granger, but _Mary_), to the Prewett family. Does this name ring any bells?"

Hermione and I stared blankly at each other for a minute, before she gasped, "That was Ron's mother's maiden name!"

"Yes, but I don't believe Helga chose for Ron to be her true 'heir,' remember what I said about gender earlier?"

"Ginny." I said in a deadpan voice.

"Yes, but mind you this is all still guesswork."

"Then who do you have in mind for Slytherin's re-incarnate?" Hermione queried.

"What other pureblood family is so very prominent besides the Weasleys?"

"Malfoy."

"Precisely, however, they keep their family records very, very private and I have not found any way of confirming this matter. Which makes it look like they will be officially 'revealed' in a rather painful way."

"This was a wonderful history lesson professor, but what exactly does it have to do with Voldemort?" I asked a bit testily

"Everything Harry," said Dumbledore with no sign of impatience, "You see Voldemort knows nothing of what I have just told you. It was a very closely guarded secret amongst the founders and was hardly recorded anywhere, all he knows is that somewhere in the 1600's a man by the name of Ambrose Gaunt surfaced from history and he was a direct descendant of Salazaar Slytherin. What he should have noticed if he cared to look closer is that Ambrose Gaunt was the son of Penelope Gaunt who was the sister of Jethro Malfoy. In the 1600's the Malfoys split from the Gaunts and there has been no relations since then."

"So why are we supposed to be nice to Malfoy if he's related to Voldemort?" I asked very confused now.

"Why are you friends with Mr. and Miss Weasley if they are related to Voldemort?" countered Dumbledore. "It is really only a matter of how closely they are related Harry, and the point is that if the four of you (assuming of course I am right in my guesswork) unite as the four friends the founders were supposed to be then you can save the school and the world from Voldemort."

"And just how do we know this sir?" Hermione asked skeptically.

"Two prophecies made by Merlin and Nimue back around 800 something AD. However, Minerva and I only just found out about the others a month or so ago, and it took us a week to piece them together. Do forgive us for our blindness, but after making a few hundred prophecies one does tend to forget about a one or two."

"So what are the prophecies, professor?" I asked

Dumbledore cleared the sword boxes to the sides of his desk to make some room, and then summoned over his pensieve. He motioned for us to put our faces inside it and we did so.

Next thing I saw was myself falling onto a rough wooden bench beside Hermione in what looked like a medieval cottage, but the place bore signs of magic everywhere, dishes scrubbing themselves, a broom sweeping the floor by itself and not a few clearly magical books lying around. We also saw a stunningly beautiful blonde woman with marked similarities to our Head of House standing over a cauldron in the corner of the room. Suddenly, she stiffened and looked straight at us and began to speak in an ethereal other-worldly voice,

"When one of the twain of the green serpent's line covers all the world of a second darkness

It will then be time for the four reincarnates of the Green Serpent, Red Lion, Blue Raven and Yellow Badger

To discover themselves and to right the wrongs of their forebears-" Then the woman started choking violently and a long brown-haired wizard with a striking resemblance to the Headmaster rushed in to her aide.

"Are you alright Nimue?" he asked very concerned.

She swallowed painfully and then nodded yes, her eyes still swimming with tears, "Just another prophecy."

"Alright, then. Just call if you need me, I'll be down by the river." Said Merlin as he walked out.

Then the real Dumbledore grabbed both our shoulders and we were whisked out, only to fall into another memory that seemed to be a few years later.

Merlin with a few gray streaks in his once completely brown beard was pacing in what looked like a castle on a long red carpet, and an older Nimue was sitting rather agitatedly in a chair by the wall of a surprisingly rather empty room.

"I don't know what to do Nimue, Morgana's son is causing so much trouble now. Have you heard his latest rumor? He's now saying that the young twins, William and Wynseren aren't fathered by Arthur at all, but rather by Lancelot! The ridiculousness of it all!" fumed Merlin.

Nimue looked furious too, "And Guinevere is beside herself because one of her chambermaids said that she hoped William would become the best lancer in the kingdom, just like his father Lancelot."

Suddenly, Merlin's form went rigid and his eyes burned a brilliant white and we saw Nimue sigh in agitation, "Why does he have to have a blasted prophecy _now_ of all times?"

Then Merlin began to speak in a low rumbly voice, "For they shall be bloodline descendants of the four who founded it at Hogwarts

And without them the four pillars shall crumble.

Decisions shall be re-made to right old wrongs.

The Black Serpent of the Green Twain shall be defeated through the Red Lion and his new pact made with the Green Serpent, Blue Raven and Yellow Badger."

Then, just as suddenly the three of us were back in the Headmaster's office, but there was another person there now.

"Minerva, how lovely of you to join us." Said Dumbledore and he conjured a chair beside him just like ours' "Do sit down, I was just telling them what fools we have been for the last one and a half millennia." He smiled.

Professor McGonagall looked at him rather reprovingly, "Really Albus, don't you think that was a bit unnecessary?"

"Not at all, they deserve to know everything. Besides people our age are allowed to have a bit of Alzheimer's every now and then don't you think Harry?" Dumbledore winked at me.

"Now, before we get to why I have asked Minerva here I must explain one more thing and we must do something.

"First, each heir is confirmed by the characteristics of their ancestors. For instance, Harry being a mixture of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw has showed occasional bouts of brilliance that not even Miss Granger can match, but he is more predominantly courageous as evidenced by his skirmishes with Voldemort. Now, Miss Granger being partly Gryffindor, but primarily Ravenclaw has shown bravery even beyond her housemates in situations like the night of Sirius' rescue or the Department of Mysteries; her biggest confirmation was her OWL scores though, breaking every record in the Ministry including Lily Evans'. What we must ask is why you were not placed in Ravenclaw though Miss Granger?"

"I can answer that!" croaked a gruff voice from a high shelf. We all looked up to see the Sorting Hat.

"Well, Miss Granger, much like Mr. Potter and even to a lesser degree Mr. Malfoy and Miss Weasley seemed to have strong characteristics of more than one house.

"I put Weasley in Gryffindor simply because all her brothers were there and I put Malfoy in Slytherin because his family's been there for centuries. As for Potter he was a Gryffindor for the same reason as Miss Granger, they both pleaded to be put there although I was sorely tempted to put them elsewhere."

"But you invaded my mind." Hermione protested to the hat.

"Yes you silly girl, I was not only checking your aptitude, but also your future and I saw what you were going to do so thus, here we are with you both wearing the lion."

"You can see the future?" she continued

"Very vaguely girl and nothing I could explain to you."

"That's enough rudeness for now." Said the Headmaster to the hat and it quieted down. "Well, that's our answer the hat wanted you in Ravenclaw correct?"

"Yes, but I told it I wanted to be a Gryffindor, so he checked a few things 'in my mind' [she glared at the hat] and pronounced me Gryffindor."

"Interesting, as always the bond between the Lion and Raven is still very strong." Dumbledore mused his fingers crossed under his chin, then he started suddenly, "Ah yes, nearly forgot, you two must claim your swords for training later."

He picked up the dark furnished box with Ravenclaw's crest and handed it to Hermione who held it with trembling hands, and then handed me Gryffindor's. S_he must be having a difficult time believing all of this._

"Now, don't be startled if when you draw it out for the first time there are a few sparks or something, it always happens the first time the blade is drawn from the box by its true owner."

Hermione motioned for me to go first so I slowly slide the box lid off, amazed at its silky smoothness. Then I saw Godric's sword for the first time in nearly four years and was a bit puzzled to see it had grown some since then. I reached down and grabbed the golden lion-shaped handle marveling at the workmanship and the ruby-red eyes of the life-like lion. _It must be some deviation off of the Scottish Claymore._ Red sparks sprouted out of the tip of the blade and engulfed me for a few seconds before dissipating.

"The sword changes by the age of the wielder Harry, for a child heir it will be lighter and less ornate than for an adult heir."

"I'm not an adult yet."

"According to the ancient laws by which these swords are governed you came of age on your sixteenth birthday, they came of age younger back then."

"Now it's your turn Miss Granger." I turned my gaze from admiring the runes that were similarly engraved next to Godric's name just like Merlin's to Hermione.

Her hands shook as she carefully and slowly slid the blue-crested lid back to reveal a lighter but just as deadly sword as mine. Her eagle on the hilt was made of silver and had sapphire eyes a lighter blade extended from the handle, with a _very_ pointy tip at the edge, just like mine. "ROWENA RAVENCLAW" was etched on in curly letters down the blade and runes like the two previous swords surrounded the name.

Hermione reached a trembling hand into the box and the sword seemed to take on a slightly bluish tint before erupting bright blue sparks out of the tip, just like mine.

"Amazing." Breathed Hermione.

After a few more moments admiring the blades Professor McGonagall said that she'd been asked up here to give us our first lessons in apparition and Hermione nearly jumped for joy as the four of us port keyed to Hogsmeade for some practice.


	27. All Things New

**Chapter 26-All Things New**

_(Hermione's POV)_

The apparition lessons were fairly nondescript other than Harry and I successfully made ourselves transparent, but we didn't budge an inch. Dumbledore and McGonagall were amazed at our 'progress' and deemed that after about two more lessons we would be apparating with no problem.

Then Dumbledore whisked Harry off to his office for what I assumed were those 'private questions' that he needed answered. Neither one of them when questioned by me later gave any clues as to what the discussion had involved, which only succeeded in making me more agitated.

So here I was sitting in Charms the following Monday watching absently as my quill copied down every word Flitwick said.

Harry and Ron had long since given up attempting to make me pay attention and both of them thought I'd 'gone nutters' as Ron so aptly put it. The professor was covering Protean Charms, something I'd mastered last year, and although I was sure I could use more practice I was more concerned about Harry's mysterious nightmares that he told nobody about.

_I KNOW that discussion between him and Dumbledore was about those dreams of his, it had to be._

Suddenly a little slip of paper slid into my view and I looked up to see a small smirk on Harry's face. I unfolded the note:

_Hermione,_

_Since you seem uninclined to pay attention right now I thought I might let you know that we will be practicing Occulmency and Legilimancy with Professors Snape and Dumbledore on Wednesday nights from now on. So you see? Nothing to do with that stupid dream you keep harping on…_

_Honestly now, you ARE Head Girl, please try to set an example for the less motivated amongst us…._

_ Harry_

_P.S.: Destroy this._

I pointed my wand at the paper which I had placed safely on the stone floor. "_Incendio!_" I whispered. The paper burst into flame and disintegrated. I turned to look at Harry to give him a small smile. _If you think you're fooling me with that feeble excuse Harry fine, but I'm not hoodwinked that easily. It doesn't take an hour to discuss 'lessons.'_

I picked up my quill where it had left off and began to copy down the notes that the professor was talking about.

While I mindlessly wrote the words being spoken my brain was still contemplating other things. _Harry doesn't want me to worry._ My conscience was beginning to argue with me, if Harry didn't want me to know, who was I to try and find out? _Because Harry plays the 'tragic hero' and would rather die than worry me or Ron._

By the time that the bell rang, signaling the end of class my mind was made up. While we were grabbing our things in a scramble to get to History of Magic on time I 'accidentally' grabbed both my own and Harry's copies of _Advanced Charmwork by: Wesley Wiley_.

Harry never noticed, and on the way to our next class (Ron was off to Divination) we discussed the 'bonus assignment' Professor McGonagall had given our NEWT Transfiguration class the option of doing this semester.

Seeing as McGonagall's classes were tough anyway, nobody in their right mind would ignore bonus assignments when they came around about once (maybe twice) a year, but something like this was so exciting I think the whole class was going to do it: Animagi Forms.

We were both very eager to do it, and even Ron after that class was asking me "When we're going to start this?"

The three of us had decided to start research tonight.

The rest of the school day progressed with nothing of any real interest and the three of us claimed our usual spots in the library.

I had brought a few select books from our head library that I doubted were in this library and gave them to Harry to search through while I found some thinner, easier books for Ron and took the rest of the Head books on human transfiguration as well as a few of mine that were rather thick and plopped down in my chair to start.

After about two hours Harry had found the rare and complicated potion that must be drunk in order to trigger one's transformation and listed the various ingredients and where to find them. I had copied down every spell I could find that had to do with animageus forms, and Ron, being Ron had simply made a list of animals that he found 'interesting' for transformation.

"Honestly Ron, if you want to get credit for this assignment with me and Harry you actually need to do some work instead of listing the animals you'd like to be." I said reprovingly.

"Well, Hermione, you two are smarter than me anyways in both potions and Transfiguration, what's the point in researching something I've got an 'inferior understanding' of?"

"If you actually paid attention in class you'd be doing just as well as Harry and I." I snapped.

Harry was beginning to look upset, but Ron ignored this.

"Well excuse me if I'm not the Perfect-Prefect-Percy!" snarled Ron leaning over the table at me his face turning crimson.

"I never-"

"Hermione, have you seen my Charms book?" Harry interrupted, in what was clearly an effort to head off the upcoming argument. He was fishing through his bag in a puzzled manner. "I swear it was just here today in Charms." He muttered.

My face flushed a little, but fortunately for me I had thought ahead and left both Charms books amidst a stack of others back in my room. "No Harry I haven't, maybe you left it in the classroom accidentally?" I responded a little _too_ quickly. _I hate lying to him…_ I turned my face away to pretend to rummage through my bag for his book.

After twenty minutes of fruitless searching in the library, (We wouldn't have found it anyways of course,) the three of us headed back off to Flitwick's classroom in hopes that we might find it there. (Impossible I know.)

An hour after that, and one scoured classroom later the three of us returned to the Gryffindor tower sans Harry's Charms book.

By now it was ten o'clock and Ron had rounds with Luna, so he departed almost immediately upon arrival. Harry searched his room inside-out with my help, but again no results. He decided to turn in sometime past eleven and I assured him I would check my things for his book as well.

I waited a good forty-five minutes before pulling Harry's book from the middle of mine and grabbing my wand I switched my school robes to a pair of nice fuzzy pajamas.

I crossed the cold stone floor between our doors to knock lightly on Harry's door. As I did I could feel the strength of the silencing charm that he'd placed on the door. _Harry James Potter you are in trouble now…_

There was no answer, so supposing that he was not naked or anything I opened the door. The sight that met my eyes was reminiscent of the one I'd seen about two weeks ago now.

Harry was thrashing furiously in his bed, his blankets twisted in some knotted fashion and glistening with cold sweat. "NO!" he shouted suddenly and his arm flailed in thin air.

"Hermione NO! It'll be alright-let me do it!" he rolled over and kicked violently.

I felt like I should stop him, but I was paralyzed. _Harry was dreaming about me in his nightmares?_

"NOT THEM YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" he yelled and writhed more violently than ever, his wet hair flying wildly in different directions.

"NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOO!" he shouted in an angry yet terrified tone.

Whatever spell had been holding me back snapped. _He won't tell you about his dream because he's afraid you and Ron are going to die…_ I dashed forward, dropping his book somewhere on the floor.

"Harry!" I shook him and he squirmed away,

"No! Don't touch me! You killed _them_ you bastard!" Harry wriggled from my grasp.

I grabbed both his shoulders, "Harry, it's me, Hermione and I'm not dead."

Harry seemed to slump in my arms, "Oh Hermione…" he groaned, "It's all my fault-I-I'm so s-sorry." He voice cracked, but his eyes still weren't open.

"HARRY!" I shouted, "It's ME! Hermione!" I shook him harder.

Finally his eyes flew open, and he looked up at me in confusion, and started grasping for his glasses which he finally found and put on.

"Hermione." He breathed heavily, panting. Then something seemed to click in his mind, "Why are you here? What did you see?" he asked rather harshly.

"I-I came to return your Charms book, I think I accidentally grabbed it this morning after class." I stuttered out my lie, turning so red, that I was sure he could feel the heat radiating off my face even though he might be able to see it because of the dark.

I bent over and picked his book off the floor and handed it to him mutely, "Here."

He reached out and took it only to place it on his nightstand, eyes still on me, "Hermione, how much did you see?" he asked with a cold sort of fear.

"Not much." I lied again, feeling worse than ever and my stomach was starting to churn like an egg beater going a hundred miles an hour.

"You're lying Hermione." Harry stated.

"Am not." My face felt like it was burning up and I was truly feeling nauseous.

His cold, sweaty hand reached out slowly to grab my shoulder, "Tell me the truth Hermione, how much did you see?"

"Just you screaming 'no' before I shook you awake." I lied again and I felt like I was going to puke.

Harry removed his hand just as suddenly and wrenched his view away and began to walk to the other side of his bed. _He knows I'm lying…_ My stomach was churning like a category five hurricane now and my face felt like the fires of hell were colder than it. _Why am I getting this strange reaction from lying to Harry? It doesn't happen when I lie to Ron._

"Harry, please, I'm sorry…I heard more, but I'm scared Harry. You never used to hide things from me like this. Please tell me what happened." I say so quietly that I was surprised he heard it at all. My stomach slowly returned to normal and my face cooled down.

He flops down in a huge stuffed chair in the corner of his room with a big sigh, "If only you really knew." He said in such a small voice it almost sounded like he was going to cry.

I went over and squeezed in beside him and put my arms around him, "Harry you know you can tell me anything."

His body convulses violently with shivers, and I realize he's cold in nothing but a pair of jogging pants he's turned into his night gear and cold sweat. Then, just as suddenly he relaxed.

"Hermione, can I trust you not to tell anyone what I'm about to tell you?"

"Yes, you know I won't tell anyone, even Ron if you say so."

"We'll tell Ron later, but not…not now." He stumbled.

"H-Hermione I k-know what the p-prophecy was that killed Sirius."

I gasped, "When did you find out?"

"The same night, it turns out Dumbledore heard the original and the Ministry's was just a copy."

My arms tightened around him involuntarily, and my nose was suddenly picking up on the overwhelming scents of the rainy Quidditch Field, fudge treacle and that peculiar aftershave. I felt like I was drowning, but then Harry's next words sliced through my imaginings.

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches_

_Born to those who have thrice defied him, Born as the seventh month dies_

_And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal,_

_But he will have powers the Dark Lord knows not_

_And either must die at the hand of the other_

_For neither can live while the other survives_

_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies._

_His power will be more potent than any other force known_

_It will flow through his veins like blood, for it is the essence of true life._

_He will need aide in discovering and using this power and he must ask those whom he loves._

_One whom he loves will have the answer to the power to vanquish the Dark Lord."_

Harry's voice has grown completely hollow by the end and I can sense his despair and quoting the horrible lines that condemned him to murder or be murdered.

"I-I can't do it. Can't do it anymore." He croaks with a cracked voice.

My mind is numb with the information, but somewhere deep down something else clicks in and I seem to be running on autopilot. "Don't be silly Harry. You will win. You will end his miserable existence; Voldemort doesn't live Harry, he just exists, nobody lives after doing things like he's done. He's not human anymore, he's a monster."

"Do you really think so Hermione?" Harry's small voice asked as he curled up even smaller in my arms. _He misses his mother._

"I know so Harry, now go to sleep peacefully." I say with a soothing voice as I rub the back of his head in calming circles. "Just go to sleep."

Five minutes later his eyes closed.

_A/N: So very late I know, and thank you for your patience in following this story. Military life is busy._


	28. Yellow Badger

Chapter 27-Yellow Badger

(Harry's POV)

Hermione and I did not talk about what had happened that night in my room since then. I was too embarrassed to, and she was probably scared out of her mind. _Who wouldn't be?_ I was beginning to feel completely miserable by the time that the following Tuesday rolled around.

The morning was traipsed through as usual, with McGonagall reminding us that the extra-credit was due in two weeks time from now. (I was confidant that we'd be done in one the potion was already half done and after that all we needed to do was drink it and practice transforming.)

Herbology began as usual, and the three of us were finishing up with the collection of Devil's Snare seeds when Professor McGonagall came rushing through the doors of the greenhouse with a face whiter than Nearly Headless Nick. She dashed over to Professor Sprout, and the entire class' eyes followed her.

After some hushed whispering and a horrified expression from Professor Sprout who turned to blow her nose on Ernie's sleeve Professor McGonagall made her way over towards us. _NO! It can't be real! Not now! Not yet!_

She did not sidetrack, and I grasped Hermione's arm like I was drowning. _I'm sorry Hermione…_ She did not go to Hermione though, much to my surprise and instead went to Ron.

"Mr. Weasley I need to speak to you immediately." Ron looked very befuddled and looked over at us in confusion. "Very well, Miss Granger, Mr. Potter you may come too."

The three of us accompanied Professor McGonagall as she wended her way through the empty halls.

We eventually ended up in the Headmaster's office, and inside was a blubbering Ginny and shocked Fred and George.

After we all took a seat Professor McGonagall announced that unfortunately there was an attack in the vicinity of East Anglia on some known supporters of the Order of the Phoenix. Upwards of sixty were assumed dead and at least one hundred wounded. Amongst the accounted for who had died was a certain Muriel Prewett.

Ron gasped, the twins looked at their feet and Ginny cried harder than ever. _Their Aunt Muriel died, but wasn't the attack supposed to be on Hermione's family?_

"Now, I know this has come as a shock to the four of you, but rest assured that everyone else in your family has been accounted for at the moment and you shall be allowed to attend the funeral in Ottery St. Catchpole tomorrow." Dumbledore said gravely.

It took what was left of Herbology for the Weasley brothers to calm Ginny down enough so that she could be escorted back to the Gryffindor tower. The twins used the excuse as one not to go to class, as did Ron but Hermione said that since neither she nor I was 'family' we would not skiv off Binns' class. Despite this I did manage to get a few words out of Ron about Ginny, "She was really close to Auntie Muriel, never understood why, they both liked tea, crumpets and smelly cats along with old dresses. Spent hours together. Auntie Muriel's the reason Ginny's stuff for school is so much better than ours'. Muriel really liked her." The last sentence had more than a hint of jealousy in the tone.

So it was with a heavy heart that Hermione and I set off for History of Magic that day.

Later that night in the Common Room we saw Ginny, Ron and the twins off along with the entire house who showed up for moral support. I couldn't help but notice though, that Ginny seemed to be the only one really upset. Nevertheless, the entire affair left Hermione and I very dispirited and we retired to our common room very early.

As was our wont, the two of us retired to the couch, and pulled a table up in front of it so we could do our work. After I'd finished my potions essay though I found I simply could not focus on the Herbology one and took to staring at Hermione's bent head which lead to reminiscing.

Finally she looked up from her work, eyes tired, but with a small smile illuminated in the flickering firelight. "What is it Harry? Can't think of the right term for your essay?"

I shook my head and turned away, not a little embarrassed by my thoughts.

"Harry." She said in the tone that meant business.

I still refused to look at her.

"Harrrry." She dragged out my name. _That's one step away from making it your full name._

"Have you…are you…regrettingbeingmyfriend?" I blurted out all at once, my face burning with the thoughts of what she would say, what she might say.

"What did you say?" she asked puzzled.

"Are you…regretting ever becoming my friend? I mean look at what's just happened to Ron and his family, they just lost their aunt. Look at Sirius, he's dead. Cedric's dead, my parents are dead-everybody and anybody's who has ever had anything to do with me is dead."

Hermione silences me with a finger over my lips, "Harry I chose to be your friend. After the troll incident I knew what that could and would that incur. You forget that I was sorted into Gryffindor, **just like you**. You forget that I have loved and lost before, you forget most of all that I would rather live in danger one year as your friend than a hundred years safe without you." She wraps her arms around me, "Don't ever forget that."

After that we resumed our homework and then added a few more ingredients to the potion which Hermione declared would be ready by tomorrow evening and we went to bed.

The next day seemed to drag by, perhaps it was the lack of Ron making everything hilarious, or maybe it was just Snape being extra foul in potions.

We were working on making veritaserum, and Snape declared that nearly half the class was incapable of making it, but he supposed we must try as it was "part of the curriculum."

After that he wrote the instructions on the board and proceeded to slink around the classroom, making insulting remarks wherever he deemed necessary, which more often than not was when a Gryffindor was at a crucial part of the potion.

Hermione ended up dropping her first flask because she could have sworn Snape muttered, "mudblood" behind her and she had to start over again, barely finishing in time. For that alone I felt like making him personally acquainted with Aragog, but what he said next only made things worse.

I had just been at the point of adding a very rare ingredient when Snape started to sneer behind me, "Well, well, well, it looks like Potter has finally found out how to pass potions just like his equally-hopeless father."

I gritted my teeth, but just kept measuring out the angel wings.

"Seems like you have to screw the smartest girl in the class to get the answers. Tell me Potter, how long was Granger a virgin before you got to her? I suppose you got some pointers on how to do it from Black who told you how you dad got your mother?"

I exploded, "MY FATHER DID NOT 'SCREW MY MOTHER' FOR ANSWERS TO A DAMN POTIONS TEST! I'M NOT SLEEPING WITH HERMIONE AND YOU SHOULD KEEP YOUR GIGANTIC BAT-TRAP SHUT!" Amazingly, by this point my potion was nearly done so I threw the stupid feathers in angrily and grabbed a flask to shove on his desk. (Nothing would infuriate Snape more than knowing he still he to give me a decent grade.) Then I stomped out of the room with my things, grabbing Hermione by the hand to pull her with me, somehow she managed to turn in her sample too…don't really know how.

"Sorry about that Hermione." I said as we turned the corner from the staircase that went down to the dungeons.

"What did he say to you?" she asked completely white.

"He told me that my father was 'screwing my mother' for answers in potions class, and wanted to know how long you'd been a virgin before I got to you too." I stared very intently at my feet.

Hermione gasped, "How dare he! I mean calling you and me names and insulting our parents is one thing, but accusing us of something like that is something completely different."

"Yes and we have Occulmency with the bloody git tomorrow evening."

"Perhaps we should tell Professor Dumbledore about this. He really has gone too far this time."

"I don't want to give the slimeball the satisfaction."

So we decided instead to go to the Library to read up on the veritaserum potion, (Hermione's compromise for walking out of class). After a few minutes I noticed Hermione had been flipping back and forth between two pages for a rather long time.

"Hermione, what's bothering you?" I asked.

"Nothing." She said avoiding my eyes.

"If you won't let me lie to you, then I demand the same courtesy." I said, even with the nagging thought in the back of my mind concerning my nightmares.

"Don't you just think it's weird though, Harry. Everyone thinks something is going on between us: Krum, Cho and even Rita Skeeter. Heck, I've even caught Lavender and Parvati attempting to predict our wedding day more than once. Does that mean anything?" her voice quavered on the last few words and I felt like time was slowing as the midday sun fell on her cheek.

_I'm getting the suspicious feeling this question is one of those lose/lose questions a guy doesn't want to be stuck answering…_

Then my memory flooded back to our first year _"Books, cleverness, there are more important things Harry…"_ _What was that word she'd never finished?_ Just as suddenly I felt my emotions do a flip-flop as Neville told me Hermione was awake again and she charged down the hall into my arms, _"I can't believe you solved it!"_ With a whirlwind I flew to my confused feelings the night of Sirius' rescue when she entwined the timeturner around my neck. _Hermione's really close to me. We've never been this close before. What's wrong with me? Why am I smelling her hair? Wait, what does this golden thingy do?_ Then my worries as she first shielded me from Sirius, and then me her from Lupin in the course of the night. Fourth year, when my jaw hit the floor seeing her in her ball dress. _Hermione's beautiful. Wait? Is that Krum she's with? Where do they know each other from? How did he talk to her? Why did she go with him? Why didn't she ask me or Ron? What has Krum got that I haven't?_ Last year when Cho accused me of liking Hermione better than her. "_Of course, if darling Hermione did it…"_ Followed by my inexpressible feelings of loss and inability to function properly when she fell at the Department of Mysteries.

"M-Mean anything?" I stammered.

Hermione looked at me insistently, but her face was beginning to fall.

"I'm asking Harry, is it really such a bad idea, if you…and I…were to get together sometime…in the future…really long from now…am I-completely undesirable?

"No, you're very pretty as a matter of fact." _Making out with her on her parents' couch at three am._ _I can't tell her how that felt! Why can't you? Because everyone who loves me gets hurt! _"I'm just not looking for a girlfriend right now Hermione." I finish trying to not hurt her feelings.

"Oh that's not what I was talking about at all Harry, I don't need a boyfriend right now either, I was just speculating…you know?" I might have imagined it, but I think her eyes were a little sad when she said that.

We returned to our work with no further interruption, but History of Magic went by with none of the usual note-passing.

Back in our head rooms that night we added the last of the ingredients to the potion and stirred them in properly, and at last the liquid turned its murky, lumpy purple texture it was supposed to be.

"Do you think we should try it now, or wait for Ron?" she asked.

"Ron's already an hour late coming back, besides we did all the work anyway, I don't think he'll care that much."

"Alright." she said, conjuring two glasses and ladled some of the gross beverage into each until they were full. "Now remember Harry, you need to say the incantation, "_Animus vederus."_

"And if we have two forms?" I asked.

"Then we will change twice, but the first form will most likely be our primary form."

"Who goes first?"

"I don't know." Said Hermione looking nervous.

"I think you should."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, you know you're dying from the suspense!"

She giggled, then steadying her wand she aimed it at her chest, "_Animus vederus!_"

She then gulped down the drink with a distasteful expression and blinked twice before dropping the glass on the floor where it cracked into a million pieces.

She immediately dropped to all fours and her clothes and skin began to morph into feathers, her feet grew long, pointy talons and her arms sprouted into wings. Her eyes changed to an amber color and she cawed at me and I smiled.

"You are a magnificent golden eagle, but your feathers are kind of ruffled back here," I say scratching the back of her head. She snapped at me, and I jumped. _That's one sharp beak she's got!_

Three seconds later she started shuddering again, and her feathers turned white and shrank into fur, her wings morphed into legs with silver hooves, and her current legs grew longer to match the others. Her head became shaped like a horse's, but with a silver unicorn horn and a silver tail to match.

Her mane was a bit bushy though but I didn't dare tell her that this time.

"Beautiful unicorn, suits you wonderfully." I said rubbing her neck and mane, and she shivered beneath my touch, so I withdrew my hand.

A little while later she became human again, but I noticed there were a few strands of silver. _Not gray…silver_ hair mixed in with her brown hair, not really noticeable, unless you were looking for it, and her eyes seemed more of a piercing amber-brown this time.

"So how do you transform into one specific animal, or transform back?"

"Transforming into a specific one is just as simple as transforming back, all you need to do is think about the animal, or your human form. Now let's see what you are Harry!"

She hands me the glass.

"_Animus vederus!_" my body tingled a little and I felt the old sensation to roar and fly at the same time, but I swallowed the disgusting drink instead.

My feet were suddenly growing and furry, _were those pads on the bottom?_ _What the heck is sprouting out of my ass?_ Tried turning around only to see a long, furry tail there and soon my vision was obscured by a large furry mane. My throat was really scratchy so I tried to clear it, but instead a roar came out.

Hermione looked at me goggily-eyed, "Harry, you're a lion!" she said amazed. "But your eyes are green." She ran her hands through my mane, "Just as bad as _your_ hair." She snickered. I swatted her with my tail.

"Harry!" she giggled again. _Since when does Hermione giggle twice in a night?_

Then my forelegs morphed into huge, feathery wings and my hind legs shrunk. My head was feeling really weird; my eyesight was quickly becoming _very_ sharp. _Was that a beak where my nose was supposed to be?_

"A griffin…how appropriate." Hermione murmured.

I transformed back, realizing that my eyesight was so drastically improved I wasn't sure I needed the glasses anymore, and I had ripped my robes around the shoulders.

"Hermione why did my robes rip?" I asked the stupid question, and took off my glasses

"Well, becoming an animageus means that you often take on a characteristic or two of the animal. It seems you've taken on the eyesight of your griffin and the strength of the lion, which means you've split your robes…with your new muscles."

"Really?" I ask, curious as I looked into my robes, not realizing I was making Hermione blush furiously.

Then for the second time in two days Professor McGonagall barged in, "Potter, Granger, come with me at once." She says rather out of breath. Then, turning to glance at us again she seems confused.

"Potter what did you do to your clothes?"

"Animagi training Professor."

"Oh. I see." She drew her wand from her robes, "_Reparo!_" she aimed her wand at me and the robes fixed themselves. "Your clothes alright Granger? Good, let's go."

The two of us followed the Head of our House through the small passage, past the confused and curious Gryffindors and out into the dark halls, and down a passage I knew all too well. The Hospital Wing.

We entered after the Professor opened the doors to see a sea of red hair surrounding a bed on the far right side of the room.

_Ron. _My mind immediately jumped to the conclusion that it was him in the bed, but I was proven wrong by him turning around to see us.

"H-Harry." He croaked, his voice entering falsetto, something that happened only when he was truly scared, "It's G-Ginny she was attacked at the funeral."

We both ran forward to the bedside and saw Ginny, her normally pale face whiter than snow, and blood leaking out of the side of her head. There was also a funny burn mark on her shoulder where her sleeve had been ripped. It looked sort of like a sort of Chinese character.

"What is that?" asked Fred noticing the scar for the first time.

"A mark." Said Hermione ominously.


	29. Surprises

**Chapter 28-Surprises**

_(Hermione's POV)_

We spent much of that night explaining everything that had happened since the Weasleys' departure from Hogwarts for the funeral.

As far as Harry and I were concerned the entire account made little if any sense at all.

Everything was going fine at the memorial service itself, and then they moved on to the funeral. (Being unfamiliar with Wizard Funeral Rites Harry and I didn't understand many of the rituals described and I made a mental note to read up on them later.) Sometime after the 'transferring of the soul' incantation which was droned out by an ancient group of secretive Druid priests Ron explained that Ginny started feeling weird and got up 'for some fresh air.' After she didn't return for the rest of the ceremony the twins and Ron set out to find her, supposing she was too overcome with grief to return.

They had exited the mausoleum only to find bloody tracks not ten yards from the doors, and they knew something wasn't right. After following the single set of bloody footprints they found Ginny unconscious and bleeding profusely from her left temple about a mile from the building. Their first supposition was that Ginny had tried suicide since there were no signs of anyone else having accompanied her, and no signs of struggle anywhere on her or in the area. Even her wand showed no sign of any self-defensive spells being used in the last day, and the last incantation to leave it, had in fact been one that causes such injuries as she had sustained.

What had lead them to believe it was a murder attempt and not merely a wish for self-destruction was that Ginny was right-handed, not left-handed making a self-inflicted wound on her left side awkward, if not impossible to commit. There was also the fact that Dumbledore had determined on examining Ginny's wand that the right hand of the caster had been used. In addition, Ginny had walked a near mile with serious, life-threatening head trauma. Such a feat was unfeasible for muggles, and even with witches and wizards it was a nigh-impossible feat.

There had been no sign of tracks with Ginny, ever over the course of the crime scene. In addition, there was also no blood on the wand, as would have been spurted out due to proximity of a self-inflicted wound. Thus, the curse had been cast at some distance. Finally, there was the mysterious scar of a rune that was on her upper left shoulder. According to Madame Pomfrey, when Ginny had arrived nobody had been able to touch her left shoulder due to an intense heat emanating from it, and the nurse had ripped her sleeve off in an effort to find out what was wrong.

The old matron was unable to deduce anything about the scar other than it was clearly cursed as nobody could touch it, however the scar did not seem to be causing any pain for Ginny so she left it alone.

Dumbledore was very disturbed with Ginny's scar, more so than with her head-wound which the nurse was healing nicely. He took Harry and I out of the room for questioning leaving behind a shocked and furious set of twins, terrified Ron, moody Mr. Weasley, hysterical Mrs. Weasley and a very perplexed Bill and Charlie with their invalid sister and the caring nurse.

Between the interrogation of Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore _as well as reading between the lines of what they were saying to each other and asking us_ it was revealed that Harry's scar had surfaced after Voldemort's attack. _Duh._ Mine came after Dolohov's curse at the Ministry, and Ginny's had surfaced after this last attack. So the common thread between all our scars was a murder attempt on the scarred individual and then the scar appeared. This much Harry and I already had figured out, but we were simply confirming the professors' theories.

As for us though, we learned something shocking though, of all the people at the Ministry that night that Voldemort had wanted dead even before we got there my name was right up there with Harry's and Dumbledore's. In Voldemort's twisted logic, the best way to get all three of the individuals he wanted dead in one area was to lure us there with an individual who was fairly rash, unprotected but loved by all three of us and Sirius Black filled that bill exactly.

_The real question was why did Voldemort want me dead just as much as Harry and Dumbledore?_ He had apparently set his most experienced torture-inducing killer (second only to Bellatrix) on me, not even Malfoy could compare with Dolohov's and Lestrange's sadism.

Unfortunately, we lacked just as many answers about Ginny's attack as to why Voldemort wanted me dead. Not even Dumbledore knew why, but he told us he did have a suspicion which he refused to reveal to us. The other extraordinary occurrence was that my scar was the exact inverse of Harry's, but Ginny's seemed unrelated altogether.

Eventually, with the assurance that Ginny was recovering nicely (but still unconscious) three of our fellow red-haired Gryffindors accompanied us back to the tower while the rest of the Weasleys either left to go home, or in Mrs. Weasley's case stayed in the hospital wing to help Madame Pomfrey. Our special clock in the head common room clicked into place with our two faces reading 'home' while the regular time hands said four forty-five in the morning.

Harry and I had no intentions of sleeping though, so in silence we cleaned up the animageus potion, (making sure to save some for Ron). Somewhere around five we flopped onto the couch together.

"Harry, what do you think is going on?" I asked very worried.

"It looks like Voldemort may not know about Trelawney's prophecy concerning me, but he seems to know the gist of Merlin and Nimue's prophecy, which I confess has me more confused. I would have thought him less likely to discover that one than Trelawney's. Either way though, he is very intent on destroying those tied to it, which ironically enough seems to fulfill the beginning portion of it." Harry raked his hand through his hair out of exhaustion. "I don't know much else though Hermione this whole thing is so confusing."

"Tell me about it, why would Voldemort want to kill me as much as he wants to kill you and Dumbledore? What have I done to anger him that much?"

Harry gave a sad smile, "The only thing Voldemort has against you Hermione is that fact that you're muggleborn and the fact that you fixed my glasses on the train six years ago."

"Well then, perhaps I ought to fix your glasses once again." I joke, and raise my wand to his slightly slimy glasses, "_Scourgify!"_

They immediately cleared up, but Harry took them off. "You know Hermione, with all the other things that happened since then I kind of forgot, but I'm not sure I _need_ these glasses anymore. My griffin eyesight has improved so much it's actually hurting my eyes to wear them."

_If he stops wearing them, everybody will know something's up though, because Harry normally can't see with out them. What if….?_ "Harry you can't just stop wearing them, we don't want people to know that you're an animageus, let alone what your forms are."

"Hermione, I'm telling you if I don't stop wearing these glasses I'm going to end up with a serious migraine, not to mention I'll probably go blind or something." Harry protested, "Although I must admit it feels weird not to be wearing them."

"Well, the solution is really simple Harry; I just need to make it so that the glass _appears_ to be there to everyone else, but actually _isn't_ there, so that your eyes won't drive you crazy." I thought aloud, twiddling my wand between my fingers, trying to think of the best combination of spells to use, seeing as this needed to be a long-term deception.

After a few moments silence I asked Harry for his glasses, and pressed my wand-tip against one of the glass specs. "_Evanesco!_" Then I spent a minute or two conjuring a _fake_ piece of glass. I repeated the process with the other one and triumphantly handed them back to Harry. "Here!"

Harry took them, and looked at them curiously, "No offense Hermione, but didn't you just go to a lot of trouble to disappear my lenses, and then reappear them?"

I sighed, "No Harry look." I put my finger through what _should_ have been the glass lens. He gasped

"It's not really there is it?" he asked surprised.

"No, so it won't bother your eyes, but to everyone else it will look the same. Try it!" I handed him back the glasses again and he put them on.

"Hermione! You're a genius!" he shouts and grabs me very close to him with a suffocating grasp.

My face flushes with the praise. All too soon, my senses kick into overdrive again and I'm enveloped with the pungent, but enticing smell of fudge treacle, rainy Quidditch pitches and distinct aftershave. Despite my fogged brain though, I was able to make a connection that before I'd never made. _Every one of these scents I closely associated with Harry. Did that mean anything? If so, what DID it mean?_


	30. When One is in Love

**Chapter 30-When One is in Love**

_(Harry's POV_)

Two weeks had passed since Ginny's incident, and she had recovered nicely, except for the fact that she, like Hermione and myself now had a nasty scar. Upon regaining consciousness she was unable to enlighten us about anything other than the fact that she had a horrid headache and went to get some air, after that the next thing she remembered was waking up with us in the hospital wing.

By now it was mid-November and our lessons with Dumbledore (occasionally supplemented by McGonagall) were going well both Hermione and I could currently apparate perfectly (and then some), we were becoming more accustomed to our Animagi forms and our sword work along with the various other obscure subjects we were being taught everything was improving quite well. (We were taking a little of everything because neither Hermione nor I could choose anything we wanted for the options over the summer. Next year we were to choose our specialties.) Occulmency was a little better with Dumbledore there, but it still was rather difficult (Snape was never exactly kind.), however the Headmaster said that things would improve before too long. As a result of these lessons I was spending a lot of time with Hermione, and our relationship was much closer than it had ever been.

Ron on the other hand had become much more aloof to the both of us; though for the life of us we couldn't figure out why. He would avoid us when we asked if he wanted to join anything that pertained to studying, disappeared directly after classes and rushed through his meals. In the end Hermione and I had to attribute this to the fact that he was probably feeling left out, both Hermione and I had two Animagi forms while he was only a bear, and Ginny had a 'pretty scar' along with both me and Hermione.

Nothing else unusual or unnerving had happened since then, and I was beginning to dare hope that perhaps nothing else would.

Except that something else occurred that just so happened to be worse than Voldemort…

A dance.

Dances involved dates.

I don't like the humiliation of getting dates.

Last time didn't work out too good.

Professor Dumbledore announced his brilliant plan at breakfast that morning, and I spat out my pumpkin juice all over Ron.

Ron, for his own part completely lost his entire appetite (no easy feat), mine disappeared as well.

Hermione seemed perfectly collected though, and in that instant I completely hated her. _She has no idea how hard it is for guys to ask girls to dances._ The feeling was gone as quickly as it came however, and briefly I entertained the notion of asking her. _Think of the rumors that would cause though, definitely NOT worth it._

Ron, for his part, did not discard the idea as quickly, much to my discomfort. "Hey Herms, why don't you go to the ball with me or Harry? I mean honestly, it's not like you're going to get any other offers."

Hermione rounded on Ron so quickly that he shrank back, his face terrified, and hers white with fury.

"RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY!" Hermione bellowed in anger. "I will NEVER attend ANY ball with either you or Harry if you put your invitation in such an insulting manner." She grabbed her book bag and dashed out of the Great Hall before either of us could stop her.

"Brilliant move Ron." I muttered angrily, "We'll be lucky if she'll talk to us by dinnertime; _and_ thanks to your _big_ mouth she'll never go to any formal dance with me." I snatched my things together to rush after my best female friend.

"But you didn't want to go with her anyway Harry, I mean come on, you of any guy in this school has his choice of girls." Ron said in his own defense.

"Well maybe it just so happens that I might have wanted to go with her you numbskull." I retorted, knowing I'd probably just worsened an already deteriorating relationship, but right now he deserved it.

I found Hermione talking animatedly to a Ravenclaw boy outside the Ancient Runes classroom, she was laughing and a brilliant smile illuminated her face.

_What was that git's name again? Theodore Boot? Terry Barn? Oh yeah…Terry Boot. He beat me on the last Charms test by two tenths of a percent and Hermione was congratulating him on his excellent spellwork. Bastard._

I seethed inside at the snobby Ravenclaw geek, but put what I thought was a relatively non-threatening smile on my face and approached the pair.

"Hermione," I began and she looked over with a look of confusion on her face, "I just wanted to let you know that both of your _best_ guy friends aren't complete morons. How about I walk you to Care of Magical Creatures?" I said a bit more possessively than I intended and reached for her book bag, while conveniently elbowing Terry out of the way.

"Excuse me Potter, but I was already going to walk her there." Said Terry elbowing me back, "Besides, why anyone takes that class is beyond me…Hagrid is quite the oaf. I can understand why Hermione does though; she wanted as many OWLS as possible." Boot said silkily

"HAGRID IS NOT AN OAF!" I said my wand hand trembling dangerously close to where the magical instrument was concealed in my pocket.

"'Course he is." Boot said with a thinly-veiled snarl "And so are those who take filler courses like his just for the easy grade."

My wand was in my hand before I knew how it had got there, "Take that back Boot!" I growled as my wand-tip found its path to his face rather quickly even by my standards.

"Harry stop it!" said Hermione coldly as she grasped the end of my wand.

I hesitated and Terry leered at me, "Yes, Potter, doesn't it feel nice to know that a mere _Ravenclaw_ beat you out on the dance-date front? I've got the girl you wanted and there's nothing you can do about it!"

"You're bluffing." I stated, not willing to believe Hermione would go with such a prat.

"Tell him I'm not bluffing Hermione." Said Terry calmly, but with a smirk on his face only I could see.

"He's not making anything up Harry, I-I asked him right after Ron's comment."

Something inside me crashed into a million pieces in that instant and I felt like screaming and strangling both Hermione and Boot in that short instant, which instantly put me into auto-pilot seconds later. _When someone hurts you, you hurt them back, because that's the only way to survive at the Durselys'_.

_Fine. Two can play that game Miss Granger._

"That's perfectly alright _Mr. Boot_, I was simply trying to show Hermione that some people care about her, and don't worry about Hermione for your date, she'll put her _boot_ up your _ass_ if you try anything on her like the stuff you usually like to do. But that's nothing compared to what _I_ will do, so if you know what's good for you I suggest you not try _anything._"

I turned away and swept off in my best imitation of Snape and his billowing robes, trying to leave an impression.

When I arrived at Hagrid's class neither of my best friends was on speaking terms with me. Ron 'accidentally' poured the spider-milk all over my robes and Hermione 'mistook' me for an escaped arachnid, and I ended up being put in the strongest body-binding curse I've yet experienced.

Ron and Hermione got each other too though, Ron's hair was permanently turned pink, much to his horror and nobody could figure out how to reverse Hermione's spell, Hermione on the other hand was cursed with having tiny spiders emerging from her clothes and things at the most inopportune moments throughout the day.

Needless to say, between the three of us today we managed to lose 150 points easily (which was saying something as we only had Flitwick, Sprout and Hagrid none of whom are normally inclined to take points from Gryffindor.) Hermione had chosen to sit at the Ravenclaw table for dinner that night, and Boot was positively glowing in his triumph. Ron sat next to Seamus and Dean, refusing to let them talk about either me or Hermione and in the end only Neville would speak to me.

At first I tried to pretend that this didn't bother me, but one can only hold up that charade so long, and two things were different now from every other disagreement I'd had with them in the past.

First, I had shared a room with four other guys, and there was always somebody to talk to, even if it wasn't Ron or Hermione, second, I'd never fought with both of them at once.

Five days later, the whole thing was really beginning to take its toll on me.

Ron and I never saw each other except in classes, where we'd sit at opposite ends of the room. Hermione, on the other hand, I saw all over the place, and with the exception of the Gryffindor Tower she was accompanied by Terry Boot _everywhere._

I found out from Parvati Patil who heard it from her sister Padma that Hermione and Terry 'were a couple now'. I cannot even put into words how much _that_ hurt.

For the first time as well, fighting with Hermione seemed worse than fighting with Ron. In fact there were times I was so mad at her I could scarcely think straight. One of these instances was the following Tuesday in Transfiguration Class.

Hermione and I, being the star students of the class had been partners the entire school year to date, and she'd even helped me with transfiguring my cow into that train set. Now we had moved on to transfiguring ourselves, and McGonagall had asked a question, Hermione, as usual, had answered and then the professor asked if she would care to demonstrate it for the class with me.

Hermione assented to demonstrating, but in an open affront to me, chose Terry as her partner instead of me. The entire room was shocked, but Hermione threw me one of her 'I'm-so-much-smarter-than-you' smiles at me rather maliciously and I retained my fury to snapping my pen in two, lest the teacher subtract points from our house.

Ron openly guffawed at the scene though, that is, until Hermione 'accidentally' slipped up and she transfigured Ron instead of Terry into a boar in place of the wolf she was supposed to do.

Professor McGonagall frowned and said Hermione's technique (not to mention aim) needed work.

By the time History of Magic had rolled around I wouldn't have been surprised if someone had told me smoke was issuing from my ears because what I felt like inside surely was indicative of that.

Hermione sat next to me and Terry on her other side. They were whispering, she was giggling and he was stroking her hair just a _teensy_ bit too much for my tastes. Then Boot leaned out from behind Hermione to whisper rather loudly at me, "Hey Potter! Found yourself a date for the dance _yet_? Or are you still mooning over the Head Girl here?" his voice dripped sarcasm and I wanted nothing better than to wring his neck until it snapped.

Suddenly everything went black and I hadn't the slightest clue why I was on the floor, I mean I felt fine but something weird had happened because the entire room was staring at me in astonishment.

Looking around I noticed that all the windows had been blown wide open and the sky outside was pouring rain and flashing lightening when seconds before it'd been sunny. In addition to all that, Terry Boot was hanging upside-down from the ceiling with a rope tied to his feet and in nothing but his heart-covered boxers, and screeching like a girl in shame as his face turned red.

I started to laugh out loud, _this is hilarious_! Then I realized why everybody was staring at me…somehow…_I'd_ managed to do all that.

Deciding I had had enough of the entire sham I simply gathered my things and marched out of the room, letting Binns and Hermione sort out the mess. _After all it's mainly her fault anyway._

Somehow I found myself standing in front of the stone griffin that guarded Dumbledore's office.

"Exploding Chocolate Sherbet Balls." I said on impulse, hoping the password hadn't changed.

The griffin began to rotate around, indicating it had not, and I quickly stepped on the stairs as they twisted upwards.

Professor Dumbledore was seated behind his desk, in his usually flamboyant wizarding robes with his fingers arching to form a triangle beneath his chin.

"Fighting over a girl Harry?" he asked in amusement.

I was surprised at his foreknowledge of the event, but said nothing, after all I shouldn't really be shocked, this was _Dumbledore._ He waved his wand, and a comfy chair appeared and he beckoned for me to sit down and offered me the namesake of his password, which I politely refused.

He then went on to regale me with a few interesting stories of when he did many 'accidental' things as a young wizard in pursuit of Nimue that ended up with all her suitors either covered in tar and feathers or crowing like roosters.

The professor also encouraged me to talk about my feelings for Hermione, (which I steadfastly denied were anything equivalent of his for Nimue). Dumbledore just smiled and shook his head, "Harry when you get to be as old as I am, you just know certain things."

"Sir, I was wondering, what exactly was the point of announcing this dance anyways, to humiliate all the unfortunate boys who have to ask the girls to dance?" I asked a hint of resentment in my voice.

"Actually, the whole idea behind the dance was to help foster relations between the houses and teach the students decision-making skills and decisiveness." Dumbledore replied.

"Well all that it's currently conjured is a bunch of broken friendships and misunderstandings." I replied with anger

"Ah…but you see that is the beauty of the situation, your friendships will improve because of hardships like these."

"And if they don't?"

Then, they weren't truly your friends to begin with were they?"

I just stare at him, completely uncomprehending.

"You're worried about your relationships with Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger?" Dumbledore looked rather pensieve himself suddenly.

"How'd you guess?" I asked sarcastically

"Harry, you and your friends have been through far too much to let a single, silly ball affect your friendship. Now I suggest that you go back to your dormitory and apologize to your friends, that way the 'ball is in their court' as the muggles put it, meaning it is their turn to act. Besides, I highly doubt that your friends will reject your apology if you truly mean it."

"That's just the thing Professor; I'm not totally at fault here. In fact, it's really only with Hermione that I'm partially at fault."

"Harry, your comment towards your friend Mr. Weasley was not exactly kind."

"Neither was his to Hermione."

"And they say chivalry is dead." Dumbledore shook his head.

"You don't understand Professor Dumbledore, I'm _not_ in love with Hermione." I protest

"Then explain why you sided with her over Mr. Weasley, and you told her about the prophecy first. Harry, circumstances and actions speak otherwise."

"You don't understand Professor, people who love me get hurt, look at what's already happened to her. No, we're not going there."

Dumbledore sighed, "Well, at least you must apologize."

"That I will do."


	31. My Crazy Heart

**Chapter 31-My Crazy Heart**

_(Hermione's POV)_

Tuesday evening I retired to the Head rooms late, hoping that Harry might have gone to bed already. I really didn't like fighting with him, but when he and Ron acted like such great gits treated me like a trophy, I certainly wasn't going to allow it to continue.

So I trudged down the tiny passage to our common room, wondering whether I ought to apologize to Harry. _After all I didn't even wait to hear what he might have said before running off and asking Terry in a manipulative attempt to make him jealous…Wait a second…why do I want Harry jealous?!_

I extended my wand to trace my sparkly blue initials on the stone wall, wishing that I was tracing 'HJP' instead of 'HJG'.

_There is something seriously wrong with me…I'm going with Terry to the ball, not Harry._

The stones rolled out of the way and I stepped foot into a brightly lit common room. _Great Harry's still up!_

My mind was running a hundred miles and hour, trying to come up with excuses to get past Harry and into my room as quickly as possible, but I found out they were completely unneeded. Harry wasn't there.

Instead, there was a large mug of mulled cider steaming on the coffee table and a slip of paper sticking out from underneath it.

_Sorry._

_H.J.P._

Then I noticed he'd laid out my books in a nice, neat stack a pile of parchment beside an inkwell with a brand-new gold quill pen next to it.

_Harry knows my habits too well._

It really was a small action in light of everything that had happened, but that was more than I needed.

"Harry?" I called uncertainly, not even sure he was here.

I set my things down and dashed over to his door and knocked, after some shuffling from within the door opened and a recently showered Harry with pajama bottoms on looking rather disoriented.

He stared at me rather puzzled. I threw my arms around him before he could do anything else. "Thank you Harry and I'm sorry I should've waited. I'm sorry, we were being so stupid."

After about five seconds he peels me off of him, "Hermione it's alright, I'm not going to do anything, not even to your boyfriend." His voice ended on a hollow note, scaring me a little.

"Boyfriend?" I swallowed

"Yeah, that Jack-Boot. Kid you're taking to the ball." Harry amended with a strained tone

"Harry," I laughed nervously, "Just because I'm taking Terry Boot to the ball does not mean he's my boyfriend."

"Funny, Parvati and Padma Patil seem to think so." He counters, tone bordering on icy.

"Why would they think that?"

"Because Boot told Padma you were _his_ girlfriend." Harry says through clenched teeth.

"I never told Terry I was his girlfriend, and he _never_ asked me." I respond confused

"So you're not his girlfriend?" Harry asks much more cheerfully

"No."

"I'm going to kill that SOB, he's going to pa-"

"Harry," I interrupted, laying a calming hand on his shoulder, "You're not going to do anything to Terry, now or ever. First of all it's nearly midnight you can't simply go barging into Ravenclaw tower-"

"I can, and I will." Said Harry wiggling out of my grasp and stomping down the hall with a drawn wand. "Oh little Terry boy's in trouble now…especially since I'm Head Boy and I know his password, oh nothing's stopping me now…" Harry started muttering in a semi-maniac tone that truly scared me.

"Harry!" I shouted running after him and placing myself in front of the fireplace that connected our common room to the Gryffindor one. "Harry, you can't do this! Look, Boot's my date…let me deal with him."

Harry glowered at me, "Perhaps I should call up Viktor and ask if he'd like to join me in smashing little Terry's arse into the floor." Harry mused.

"HARRY! STOP IT THIS INSTANT!" I screeched.

Harry seemed to snap out of his reverie and stared at me blankly.

"I will take care of Boot; just let it go, what you need to concentrate on is sorting things out with Ron and getting yourself another date." I panted, and tried to conceal the distastefulness of telling him he needed to go to the ball with someone else.

After fifteen minutes of sorting things out, more apologies etc. Harry and I managed to go to our separate rooms.

He must have gone to sleep rather quickly, but I was less fortunate.

It just wasn't easy for me to go to sleep these days anymore. So instead I switched on the enchanted music box that Malfoy had got me while I stared out my window at the snow that was falling in sheets. _Hope it's cleared up in time for our Quidditch match against Ravenclaw in two days…_

The tunes changed around every three minutes like I was listening to the radio, but I didn't pay much attention to them, instead finding the snowflakes falling in the dim light of the outside far more interesting.

I wasn't entirely sure of how much time had passed, but I must have dozed off when suddenly my head snapped up to the strains of a rather new muggle song floating through the room.

_Someday We'll Know_

It seemed rather odd to hear a muggle song by Mandy Moore playing in the stony cold castle full of wizards in the middle of a snowstorm.

_But then again, who knew that I was a witch?_

"_Ninety miles outside Chicago…"_

The song was a duet between a male and female singer, not too many songs are duets anymore.

Of course I'd heard it before.

"_Can't stop driving _

_I don't know why_

_So many questions that need an answer_

_Two years later you're still on my mind."_

_Life has lots of questions doesn't it?_

I listened intently as the song played itself through

"_Someday We'll Know _

_If love can move a mountain_

_Someday We'll Know_

_Why the sky is blue_

_Someday We'll Know_

_Why I wasn't meant for you."_

For the first time outside of Harry's presence I managed to conjure the over-whelming scents of fudge treacle, rainy Quidditch pitches and aftershave. _There's got to be a reason why I'm remembering this now._

All of these smells I clearly associated with Harry, and nobody else, the true question was if my sense of smell had improved so drastically why was it that I was only over-whelmed by these 'Harry smells' and not 'Ginny smells' or 'Professor Snape odors'?

The only logical conclusion was that my hormones had kicked in, and I somehow fancied Harry.

"_If I could ask God just one question:_

_Why aren't you here with me tonight?"_

That was impossible though. _I don't like Harry, that's not allowed!_

Was it really so unexpected? I mean look, our ancestors had fallen in love how many times in the past? It's almost like it's pre-ordained.

_I don't want our 'love' as something destiny chose though, it seems really corny, not to mention the fact that it presents no choice._

That really goes into the whole 'soul-mate' deal though, which actually is something that all wizards believe in. That's the reason why divorce is not allowed, and also the reason why virginity is so highly guarded.

_Maybe wizards __**do**__ have pre-determined soul-mates. I mean, how many other things did I think were impossible or non-existent only to find out they are possible and __**do**__ exist._

_I suppose it's just another new wizarding custom I'll have to get used to._ I made a mental note to look up wizard betrothals and weddings to learn more later.

The last lines of _"Someday We'll Know"_ floated out of the room and I was farther from going to sleep than when I'd started.

_Someday…_

_You'll…_

_Know… _

_That… _

_I… _

_Was… _

_The… _

_One… _

_For… _

_You._

The snowflakes were howling around the tower more than ever, and a sudden gust of wind whipped round the castle and blew the window open, breaking the latch.

Snow flew inside and started covering everything in its path.

A flake got stuck on my face and started to melt, trickling down to join a tear.

It was then that I'd made my revelation, four weeks before Christmas and the ball (which I was attending with Terry Boot). My crazy heart had fallen…_and was still falling_…for my raven-haired best friend.

_Bloody Merlin! I'm in love with Harry Potter!_

_I…me…Hermione Granger am in love with Harry James Potter!_

A/N: Review people!_  
_


	32. My Lovely Little Predicament

**Chapter 32-My Lovely little Predicament**

_(Harry's POV)_

Two weeks to the infamous Yule Ball…

Not time to panic yet…

Dates are still available…_right Potter?_

_Not the one I wanted…_

"So, got a date for the ball yet Harry?" Seamus asked me that morning at breakfast.

"Mpef!" I respond, my mouth full of eggs a fake grin plastered over my face. Seamus, being the nitwit he was, took this as a 'yes' and promptly began to regale me with tales of his 'beautiful Lavender Brown.' Who happened to be his date, with the way he was going on and on about her, one would think I'd never seen her before, _or_ that Seamus was going to marry her.

Fortunately for me my next class was Care of Magical Creatures, therefore I would need lots of time to get there, which provided me with an excuse to avoid Seamus' incessant in-fatuous babbling about 'Lav-Lav.'

I made a detour around to the library to pry Hermione out of Boot's clutches. _Much to my disappointment and disapproval Hermione had been unable to corner Boot about the 'boyfriend' thing, nor did she stop hanging around him and every time I confronted her about it she blushed furiously and changed the topic._ This led me to the unfortunate conclusion that Hermione _would_ like to be his girlfriend, and I decided to let the painful subject drop.

I had no sooner opened the library door than Hermione burst through it, hair disheveled, tie off to one side and books hugged tightly to her chest.

She had nearly run halfway down the hall before I managed to catch up with her.

"Hermione!" I called after her, and she seemed to stop in surprise.

"Harry!" she exclaimed in (relief?)

I strode up to her quickly, "What happened?"

"Oh…" she blushed very red and looked down at her feet, "I had an argument with one of the bookcases. You know how they get sometimes, won't give the book to you without an avalanche of fifty un-related other ones. Took me and Madame Pince an hour to clean them up."

"Are you okay? Did you forget anything?"

"No I'm fine Harry really, let's just go."

So we began the long and incredibly cold walk down to the forest edge, but the awkward silence became too much for me after ten minutes and I ventured a question.

"Have you heard from Ron recently?"

"Nope. You?"

"Wish I could say that I had." I replied miserably. The loss of my other best-friend due to a disagreement was really wearing me out. Hermione too, I could tell.

Together the two of us made a great, awesome, powerful and perhaps even fearful team, but Hermione and I get carried away sometimes and we needed Ron to keep us grounded, Ron to lighten the mood.

Neither of us had spoken to him in weeks.

It wasn't for lack of trying either, he just pretended we weren't there when we tried talking to him; it was like talking to a brick wall. After the third or fourth time we gave up.

So you can imagine our shock to find him standing in the middle of the clearing that surrounded Hagrid's hut, obviously waiting for us.

He pointed towards me first, and so I handed Hermione's books back to her and followed Ron off a bit.

We stopped and stared at each other for a few seconds, and I was aware of Hermione's anxious glance following us.

"Alright Harry." Ron began, then paused for a sigh, "Let me begin by saying, I know I've been a right foul git for a while now. I'm still working on it. I know you and Hermione have tried apologizing to me numerous times and I've just ignored you. Which is why even if we were both at fault in the beginning, it's clearly my fault now."

He looks over at me nervously, "Truth is mate, I've been real lonely these last few weeks, and I know now that you're not at fault, it's just me and my big mouth and stupid pride. So if you can forgive me, I promise to try to think before I speak and not to let my pride and jealousy get in the way anymore."

There was a pause of five or six seconds where numerous thoughts and replies rushed through my mind, but the most frequent one was that I wanted and _needed_ my best guy friend back.

"I forgive you Ron." I said quietly, clamping my hand on his shoulder, "but on one condition, you've got to ask Hermione for forgiveness too."

"Deal." He said with a smile, "By the way Harry, you know fourth year when we had this whole ball mess before?"

"Yeah, why?" I say puzzled

"Well, I kind of figured I 'owed' you a date so to speak, since you asked Padma to go with me, and well I've asked around, and it looks like you still don't have a date do you?" Ron began timidly

"No I don't, but Ron if you asked Pansy Parkinson to go with me you can forget any forgiveness I just gave you, 'cause I'll strangle you with my own bare hands."

Ron chuckled, "Nope, not Parkinson, wouldn't even wish her on Snape. I asked Hannah Abbott from Hufflepuff to go with you."

"Okay," I said pausing, trying to recall her from amongst my many acquaintances, "the one with the blonde hair that's cut right around her chin?"

"Yeah, and she's in our year too, which means no bloody forms to fill out and stuff saying you'll behave."

"Who're you going with then?"

"Susan Bones, her friend, also from Hufflepuff."

"Got a thing for red hair, don't you Ron?" I tease him

He laughs, "Well, you know, got to keep it in the family."

"Just better hope her hair doesn't match yours when it comes to temper." I taunted playfully

"Yeah."

"So, you going to go apologize to Hermione, and put her out of her misery yet?"

"What do you mean?"

"Haven't you noticed she's been watching us for the last five minutes trying to see whether or not we're going to pull our wands on each other?" I commented

"Oh." Ron responds, just now noticing her.

Thankfully, Ron apologized to Hermione without putting his foot in his mouth and we marched happily off to Hagrid's class, once again a trio.

What neither Ron nor I realized was that we shared class with both Susan and Hannah and they wanted to talk to their 'dates' for the dance.

Hermione had not been told yet.

"HAARRRYYY!" Hannah shouted gleefully, and I shot Ron a furious glance. _Why hadn't I asked him if she was a member of that fanclub Ginny started a few years ago?_

It was too late though, I was enveloped in a circle of giggling, make-up-plastered Hufflepuff sixth year girls.

Hannah was the ringleader.

"See Kaleigh? Didn't I tell you? Harry Potter's going to the Yule Ball with me, right Harry?" she asked, smiling at me dangerously,

"Y-Yeah." I stumbled.

Kaleigh looked shocked and somewhat affronted, "You're supposed to like Hermione Granger though! That's always the way the books turn out! The hero falls in love with the biggest girl character, who is always his best friend, you're not supposed to go with _Hannah_!" she shouted.

_Did she just say what I thought she said?_

I was given no time to reflect though, as Hannah stomped harshly on Kaleigh's foot, which sent the poor girl howling off to the side.

The next thing I knew, Hermione was barging through the mass of peacock girls.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?" she bellowed, pushing her way to the front which lead to both me and Hannah.

Hannah stood her ground fiercely though against one of those patented 'Hermione-Granger-glares' that would have cowed me or Ron ages ago.

I will say now, it was rather foolhardy though.

'Harry Potter is going to the Yule Ball with me, not you Hermione Granger, which gives you no right to be here." Hannah said firmly

"Au contraire…Mademoiselle Abbott, je ame avec Harry Potter!" Hermione said with a dangerous smile, and even though I didn't know what she'd said I knew it agitated Hannah a lot.

"Speak English Miss-Know-It-All so we can all understand you!" Hannah fumed

"Perche´ signorina? Preferisco che tu non capisci!"

"ENGLISH!" Hannah shouted turning red

"Sappi un poco. Vergognati! Harry Potter preferisce le ragazze intelligente, ma non pigre o stupide." Hermione finished grinning ear to ear and yanked me by the elbow from the circle of surrounding girls and back to the relative safety of her and Ron.

"What the heck were you saying back there Hermione?" Ron asked seconds before I did.

"I just told her I was friends with Harry Potter, and that was my reason for being there. I told her I preferred her not to understand what I was saying, it just proved how little she knew, which was shameful and that Harry prefers intelligent girls, not stupid or lazy ones."

"You said all that?" Ron was flabbergasted.

"Yes Ron I did."

"Really? You've got to teach me some good insults in Spanish then!" Ron replied

"Actually Ron, that wasn't one language, that was two; French and Italian, and no I will not teach you insults."

"Why not?

"Because, only you would be stupid enough to set up Harry with the vice president of his fanclub!"

"How do you know Harry didn't ask her?"

"Because Harry and I have spent nearly every waking moment together these last few weeks, I would've been there if he did!"

Ron had little to say to this, so he retorted the only way he could, "How do _you_ know she's the VP of his fanclub?"

"How could you _not_?" Hermione threw back, and fortunately at this time Hagrid chose to appear, and the prospect of working with colonies gigantic hairy spiders silenced Ron and Hermione.

Hannah kept stealing longing glances at me when Hermione was preoccupied and by the end of class that day I realized I had just traded one problem for another…

A/N: Please excuse the shortness of this chapter, and the random foreign languages, I view Hermione as an intelligent girl (obviously) and therefore young and frustrated as she is, she uses her intelligence to insult them and say what she wants to say but really can't.


	33. Yuletide Disaster

**READ THIS!  
**

****A/N: Before you all continue I want to warn you from this chapter on things start getting very dark and bring in themes sometimes not explored in HP fandom. If you continue on at this point do not complain, because I did warn you...

**Chapter 33-My Yuletide Disaster**

_(Hermione's POV)_

The ball started at seven in the evening, and I banished Harry from the heads' rooms at four thirty. (He was disappointed at having to be dressed so early.) It was now six fifteen, my date was due to arrive in half an hour at the Gryffindor tower entrance for me, and I was still staring dumbfounded at my mother's makeup kit and the bloody dress she bought me.

It was stunning by all accounts, however, it was a lace-up dress with no zippers or buttons, and I had failed to realize this until an hour ago while trying to put it on.

I didn't dare go outside and ask any of the girls for help like last time, once when you were fourteen was acceptable, but now at sixteen I was expected like every other girl to know the basics of adolescent women, including the enigmas lying before me.

Right now, I really wanted my beautiful mother's advice, but my cell phone was buried at the bottom of my trunk, useless in magical locations anyway.

Tears were forming in my eyes when I realized that I would disappoint Harry and Ron by not going and Terry would be embarrassed.

In exasperation, I threw the priceless sparkling shoes across the room and starting crying.

Awhile later I heard an odd little pop followed by another and a high-pitched exclamation, "Missus Hermioninny! Why are you upset?"

I looked up to see an astonished Dobby and Winky. Winky started clucking to herself as she retrieved my shoes and inventoried the situation. Dobby started explaining their intrusion, "We decided to be helpful and come to be of assistance to the great Harry Potter and his friend before the big party…" he trailed off looking at Winky as she poked him.

"Dobby you must leave." She squeaked.

"Why?"

"Miss Hermione is not dressed! She needs my help!"

"Very well I will go help Master Potter." Dobby said cheerfully hobbling over to the door in search of Harry.

The next twenty or so minutes was a flurry of Winky, ribbons, jewels, stockings, hair spray, sparkles, powder and perfume. Somehow I emerged looking better than I ever had in my life despite the fact that I had been crying not thirty minutes before.

I looked at my full reflection in the mirror of the bathroom, and honestly after Winky finished I scarcely recognized myself amidst the deep green ruched and tiered silk that wrapped itself around my slender form.

Hints of bewitched moonstone droplets dripped across the dress giving the illusion I just walked in from a rainstorm. The criss-crossed ribbons pulled it much tighter around my figure than I would have liked.

My hair was a loose curled ponytail with more tiny moonstones hanging from silver threads in my hair, and a delicately woven silver strand clung to a large bluish moonstone in the shape of a giant raindrop resting inches from the front of my dress, accented by smaller ones dangling from my ears.

I turned away and wobbled a bit stepping for the first time in awhile in obnoxiously tall heels made of matching green silk and sprinkled with diamonds and moonstones.

"You look beautiful dear. Almost the impersonation of Guinevere herself. Your date is a truly lucky young man." The mirror said quietly.

I turned, startled at its kind comment, but Winky pushed me out the door, pressing the stupid (yet equally stunning clutch) I almost forgot into my hands and pushed me out the entrance to the common room of the Gryffindor tower I barely had time to thank her before I snatched my badge which was pinned to the inside of my sleeve strap and found myself face to face with my two best friends.

"Hermione?" Ron queried after a stunned minute.

Harry was at a loss for words altogether, which made me feel like I looked ridiculous or something.

"One and the same" I blushed, looking at my feet.

"You're five minutes late," Ron replied having recovered his tongue, "but I must say it was worth the extra time. You look wonderful." He smiled and started collecting the chess pieces from his and Harry's forgotten game.

Harry suddenly stood up and threw his chair against the table, throwing the remaining pieces to the floor. "I'm going to kill Boot," he growled, and stomped out.

His black robes billowed out behind him, in a perfect imitation of Professor Snape when he was furious.

I looked over at Ron who was just as confused as me. "What am I hideous or something?"

For once Ron floored me, "No Hermione, far from it, and Harry's going to kill Boot now because of it. I rather expect he's gone into protective mode again."

He motioned for me to follow him and I did, we were the last students to leave the tower, and the Fat Lady cooed her appreciation at my appearance as we passed,

"Oh it's no wonder the young Mr. Potter is all in a fluster, look at Miss Granger!"

I blushed again, thankful for once Ron was acting like a gentleman, but then we rounded the corner and I saw that Harry and Terry had engaged each other in a glaring contest and Harry's hand at the very least was inching towards his wand concealed in his sleeve.

Harry hissed something at Terry, but I was too far away to hear it and turned violently on his heel towards us, while Terry glared daggers at his back.

"Let me know if you need anything," Harry said stopping briefly in front of me, "I have to go greet my fan club now…" he muttered, nodded towards Ron who began to follow suit, but Harry briefly gripped my bare arm and whispered in my ear, "You're stunning, just like Guinevere." He paused, looking searchingly at me, "Please be careful."

Just like that he was gone, leaving tingles on my arm and my head spinning. Slowly I turned to face Terry, who had an undisguised look of triumph on his face. I sighed, _this will be a long night._

"You look beautiful," Terry crowed.

"You don't look so bad yourself," I murmured, taking his outstretched arm and not looking at him as we walked down the hallway to the Grand Hall.

As we walked I suddenly regretted getting as dressed up as I did for this ball, after all, Harry would avoid me like the plague, and I didn't care what Ron thought, and it seemed all Terry cared about was my trophy status.

We descended the stairs, and I do recall seeing lots of amazed expressions, but I could have cared less. As soon as was decent I retired to a corner with a large mug of butterbeer, hoping to fade into oblivion since Terry had been snatched up by fellow Ravenclaws for the time being.

I looked around the hall to see if I could find either of my friends. Ron was apparently having a halfway decent time with his date, and they were discussing something animatedly over at the other end of the room. Harry, on the other hand appeared to be avoiding Hannah at all costs, I watched as he slipped behind a pillar, and giggled a bit as I watched a confused Hannah turn around to find herself without a date.

Harry moved to blend in with a crowd, and then went to ask Professor McGonagall a question, all the while moving further from Hannah's grasp and closer and closer to me, much to my surprise.

For an instant, his eyes locked with mine and I saw exasperation and a slight hint of fear in them. The second emotion puzzled me, until a shadow fell over me and I looked up.

It was Terry. "I believe they are about to start the dancing, and we should go set the example," he said, extending his hand to help me up.

I did not want to dance with him, but I had little choice, after all he was my date. I took his hand and gulped my the remainder of my drink rather unceremoniously, and stood up.

He wrapped his arm around my waist, and I was shocked by his familiarity, but when I looked for Harry's reaction, he was gone.

I was dragged unwillingly through far too many dances by Terry, who was actually a good dancer, but my heart was not in it. Finally I prevailed upon him to allow me some air outside in the garden briefly.

He followed me, which I hoped he wouldn't.

I whirled around about to yell at him for being so possessive, when I found myself caught by his arms and pulled close to him, I smell his hot and alcohol-ridden breath on me, I was repulsed, and tried to push him off me.

He was stronger than I was, "Potter will wish he never let you out of his sight," Terry sneered, "You're way too pretty and smart to be with that dolt. Come on, let me show you how Ravenclaws treat their women." He dragged me further from the castle, I started to hear a whine of panic in my brain. _He's going to force himself on me._

My wand was strapped to the inside of my leg, and with my arms pinioned to my sides I could not reach it, and forcing Terry was useless. We were inching towards the lake.

"Come on Hermione, say something. Surely you agree I'm more of a fit for you than Potter is." Terry wheezed.

I spat in his face, "Let me go you pig!" I screeched.

He laughed as I tried struggling with him, "The most fun ones always fight in the beginning."

I looked frantically for anyone nearby, but we were alone, and wrestling with Terry was doing me no good. I was going to have to change tactics.

Before I knew what was happening, Terry forcibly kissed me, and I drew back and slapped him across the face, he laughed and started fondling me, putting his hands in places that made me burn with shame.

My dress was so restraining I was limited in my movement by it and him, but finally I wrenched my arm free and brought my elbow down with considerable force on his collarbone, I had the satisfaction of hearing a crack and he grimaced.

He loosened his grip a bit, but that split second was all I needed to grab my wand. Silently I thanked Dumbledore for mandating those self-defense lessons.

A crash resounded in the sky and it started to rain, and through the lightening flash I saw Terry's startled expression, "Now Hermione-" he began.

"Back the fuck off!" I said pointing my wand squarely at his nose. He started to move his right hand.

Not sure what his intentions were, I lashed out, twirling my right leg around and letting it collide with the back of his knees, he fell, "_Expelliarmus! Petrificus Totalus_!" I shouted in quick sucession, and then added one of Ginny's signature bat bogey hexes for good effect.

"_Incarcerous!"_ bellowed a familiar tenor voice. I looked up, startled to see Harry and Neville tearing down the lawn towards me.

Harry reached me first, "Hermione, are you alright?" his green eyes anger as he wrapped his arms around me protectively.

"Fine now that he's immobilized." I retorted with a glare in Terry's direction.

Neville looked around a bit awkwardly, "...I-I saw him take you out here after hearing what he said to his friends tonight. Well, if I'd known you were his date Hermione I would've done something sooner." He spluttered, "But I found Harry and you're ok right?" He looked so awkward in his rain-drenched robes, but so earnest.

"Yes thank you Neville."

Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore were rushing over, followed by a toddling Flitwick.

"My dear! What happened here?" said a concerned McGonagall.

Neville explained the whole story to them as I sat down with Harry's arm around my shoulder, letting the freezing cold rain ruin my finery, _after all the night was ruined, why not the dress_?

Ron tumbled out after a bit, and gave a good kick to Terry before Professor McGonagall could stop him. Professor Flitwick removed his offending student from the scene as Dumbledore and McGongall discussed what to do.

Finally they turned to me, "Miss Granger," Dumbledore began, "I think we've had enough drama for one evening. I assure you young Mr. Boot will not touch you or come near you again, and further action will be taken tomorrow, but right now I would like it if you came inside from the rain." He looked at me with great concern.

They all looked at me.

"I just want to sit here for a bit longer. Wash off this feeling." I mumbled.

Dumbledore nodded in acquiescence, and he and the rest departed leaving Harry and I alone.

Harry sat there saying nothing, but holding me as the tears mingled with the rain. _How could I let this happen to me?_

I was never sure how long we were out there, but eventually the cold started to set in, and I huddled closer to Harry for warmth. "Thank you" I croaked. He smiled sadly at me,

"I wish I could have been sooner."

"Just stay with me, please." I said softly.

"All night if you want me too." He responded and hesitantly kissed my forehead, "You are truly the most beautiful girl I've ever known, and I'm sorry he treated you that way, you deserve better."

I nodded mutely, and he lifted my eyes to meet his, "You look like some beautiful druid queen of old or Guinevere from ages past."

I shook my head, sure that after the incident my appearance was anything but.

"Trust me; I would never lie to you Hermione. Someday you will find someone who will treat you like the queen you are; and even he won't deserve you." I smiled a little, "Come on let's go inside."

I allowed him to bring me to my feet and walk me back inside.

A/N: Well Harry might not have gone with Hermione, but he did save the day...


	34. The Night Before the Train Arrived

**Chapter 34-The Night Before the Train Arrived**

_(Harry's POV)_

It took Hermione a full week to recover from the ball, and by that point it was the evening before all the students were to depart on the Hogwarts Express for the holiday term. However, as was the wont in Scotland it was snowing heavily and there was some debate amongst the older students whether the train would actually arrive tomorrow or not.

However, Hermione, Ron and I isolated ourselves from our pessimistic classmates (and more especially Boot who still ogled Hermione from a distance.), and holed up by the fire in the Heads quarters drinking hot chocolate and listening to Christmas music on a terribly old record machine that Ron had turned up from who knows where.

Since the three of us would be spending Christmas apart we decided to exchange our presents on the last night after mid-term exams.

Ron had been quite the sport keeping Hermione's mind off of what happened and spent every spare moment of his distracting her when she started to become melancholy. They were currently sitting across from each other intently staring at Ron's stunning mahogany chess set, the one new thing he'd ever managed to buy.

"I don't understand, how is this a checkmate?" Hermione complained crossing her arms and staring at the board trying to see where Ron had pulled the wool over her eyes. Ron patiently explained it to her, and I turned to gaze past our freshly cut Christmas tree which dazzled in the firelight to the dark flurries dancing furiously around the window panes.

I had barely been able to interact with Hermione since the incident, and I'm pretty sure I bombed my midterms as a result. It's not that either of us was angry with the other, I was mad at myself for failing her when she needed me the most.

The following morning, after I spent the night posting guard at the foot of Hermione's door, I stormed in Dumbledore's office demanding to know what was being done to Boot. I wanted him thrown out of school and into jail, but at least getting him out of school would be better than nothing.

The Headmaster shook his head sadly when he saw me arrive. "I know why you're here, and what you want Harry…" he paused turning away, "…and trust me when I sincerely wish I had succeeded in expelling him if nothing else." He turned to face me again.

"However, young Mr. Boot has some rather connected and rich parents. They have already paid off the juvenile wizarding court." He stopped trying to gauge my reaction, I was frozen in place with shock unbelieving the Ministry could be so unjust to a young witch just because she was my friend and they had been paid off.

"All charges against Mr. Boot have been dismissed as unfounded malicious rumors. No disciplinary action has been or will be taken by the Ministry."

"Why?" was all I could croak out.

"You know why Harry, do not focus on the Ministry's injustice. I assure you that while I may be required to keep Mr. Boot at Hogwarts he is fully under my purview here, and I shall punish him as I see fit since the Ministry will not."

Professor Dumbledore picked up a thick leather journal and opened it, then laid out the map before me. It looked rather similar to the Marauder's Map. I noticed the full lay-out of Hogwarts on there and a small dot labeled 'Terry Boot.' "He is wearing a magical tracking device rather like the muggles' tracking anklet. If he ventures within fifty feet of Miss Granger he will find himself in a strong body-binding curse and this book will alert me to the trouble." He said calmly closing the book again. "Additionally he has detention with Professor Snape until he graduates every day for five hours, even weekends, he may not leave the school grounds, even for holidays and he has been removed from all extra-curricular activities including the Ravenclaw Quidditch team."

"I hope that will satisfy you for the time being Mr. Potter, this tracking device has not seen use since the days of Tom Riddle."

I was so furious I could find nothing to say, after all it was not Dumbledore's fault anyway, he was doing the best he could to protect Hermione now. Instead I stormed out and slammed the heavy door behind me with a crash.

Six days later I find myself here, standing staring at the window and wishing I could fix that horrid night.

"I say mate, are you done with that window yet? I'd like to open presents now!" Ron interrupted my reverie.

Hermione smiled shyly at me and then handed Ron a brightly wrapped package. "Of course." I responded not wanting to remind Hermione of last week. I turned away from the window and flopped on to the couch.

She grabbed a blanket and sat down next to me, "I swear this castle is so drafty sometimes even with the enchantments." Meanwhile Ron was eagerly unwrapping his package from Hermione. She had given him a very sensible gift. A new bookbag, I could see Ron was disappointed.

"Really Herms?" he said frowning

"I told you to stop calling me Herms, I hate that name!" she exclaimed nearly spilling hot chocolate on herself in frustration. "Besides if you opened the bag you'd see I gave you more than just that."

You didn't need to tell Ron twice, he opened the flap and turned the bag upside-down and a small furry thing squeaked as it fell out. It was grey and scampered across the floor in fright before Ron caught it by the tail. "What is it?" he looked puzzled.

"A raccoon pup you idiot! Don't hold it by the tail, they don't like that." She exclaimed making a move to rescue the unfortunate raccoon.

"Why a raccoon?" he asked placing it in his hand and peering into its furry face.

"I've always felt sorry about Crookshanks attacking your rat, even if it was Pettigrew because now you no longer have a pet, so I figured I'd buy you one." She stammered, "and the raccoon wasn't being fed well at the pet store where I found it outside Hogsmeade. Besides," she stroked the scared creature's fur, "raccoons are actually very intelligent and loyal and they are surprisingly good at finding things."

"You mean stealing them Hermione." I said finally joining the conversation. She frowned at me, "Well I suppose…"

'They steal things?" Ron asked a glint in his eye.

"That is not what you are supposed to do with it Ron!" Hermione said raising her voice.

"I love him already!" Ron said grinning, "I shall call you Shadow." He reached on to his plate for a slice of cheese and held it to the raccoon which sniffed suspiciously before gobbling it up and looking up with beady eyes for more. Hermione and I laughed.

"Well Ron, I don't think my present will top Hermione's, but here it is." I said handing him a shiny green package.

Between Ron and Shadow the box was opened without much effort to reveal an assortment of rare chocolate frogs and some expensive firewhiskey.

'Harry!" Hermione screeched, "you aren't supposed to give him firewhiskey it's contraband on school grounds!"

"Please this was intended as a Christmas present off school grounds when I bought it Hermione." I retorted.

Ron cracked open the bottle and took a swig, "This is some strong stuff Harry" he said with a grin, then proceeded to feed popped corn to Shadow and chase him around the room. "Oh your presents are under the tree labeled." He yelled over his shoulder as he attempted to remove Shadow's claws from the curtains.

I picked up Ron's gifts to us and handed Hermione hers. She opened the flashy pink paper to reveal and thick stack of embossed paper with her initials gilded on the top. Her eyes widened. "Thank Ron it's beautiful!" Ron colored, "Well there's matching envelopes and they're enchanted to fly themselves to the recipient without using an owl." She ran over to hug him.

"It's so thoughtful of you especially considering the abusive existence of most messenger owls." Ron rolled his eyes, and whispered to me.

"I wasn't thinking of saving owls just the cash of having to send one." He murmured. I laughed. It was beginning to feel normal again, and I relaxed my guard as I turned to open my gift from Ron.

It was a new (and undoubtedly expensive) set of quidditch seeker gloves, I looked at Ron concerned.

"Fred and George hired me to do some odds and ends jobs for them and they paid me." He shrugged.

"What kind of jobs?" Hermione asked her prefect senses tingling

'Ask me no questions and I shall tell you no lies." Ron smirked then he scampered off after his pet again.

Hermione sighed and shook her head then picked up a midnight blue package and handed it to me, "Here, it's not much I'm afraid." She said. I smiled at her briefly before untying the ribbon.

I peeled the paper back to reveal an old-fashioned compass, I looked at her puzzled. "You think of your destination, and then open the box and the compass will direct you to it, or them nomatter where you are. I figured concerning our 'adventures' this might be useful." She paused, "Well there's more too!"

I found also inside her package an everlasting candle (to help me do my homework), and a curious object-or rather a rock. It had a milky sheen to it and was about the size of my hand minus my fingers when placed in my palm.

"It's a rare form of moonstone, " Hermione began, "not that I ever placed much faith in divination, but this is an object of good repute. Basically if you take a silver dish of rainwater and put the stone in the dish it will allow you to visit any place you or it has been including places that no longer exist, Of course these crystals are rare and there's no telling where exactly that one has been since it was formed, be careful it can be dangerous."

"So it's almost like a magical time machine," I replied examining it in the firelight and watching the reflections bounce off it.

"Kind of, but either you or the stone has to have been in that location at one point. For instance, this stone could transport Harry to the Chamber of Secrets-or to King Henry VIII's throne room, assuming it had been there."

"How do we find out where it's been?" I asked curious

"Well at one point the Ministry tried to license and track these moonstones for their value and for security purposes, but a lot of the records were lost or destroyed by corrupt officials. This one," she takes the stone from me and flips upside to reveal an ancient rune which I did not recognize, "actually came with a partial list when I bought it from a slightly shady shop on Diagon Alley." She handed me a faded and wrinkled parchment.

There were dozens of locations on the list ranging from normal locations like the Great Library in London to more obscure ones such as the Papal Palace in the Vatican and some that no longer existed like the Imperial Palace in Constantinople or even the mythical Isle of Druidhneach. One stuck out though: Ambrose Gaunt's abode circa 1648. Hermione followed my gaze, "Like I said, be careful it could be dangerous."

I drew a small long package from my pocket wrapped in green foil, "Here's your present." I handed it to her.

She cautiously unwrapped the paper attempting not to rip it and revealed a polished cedar box with blue velvet lining and an old family crest emblazoned on the inside with a Latin motto, "Leonis Eques."

Hermione gasped as she saw the box, "Where did you find this? Do you know what this is?"

Ron shouted from his corner, "If it's not a way to skiv off class Hermione it isn't worth discussing."

She ignored him. "This is the Pevensie family crest, but I don't recognize the jewelry". She gently touched the mother of pearl carved lily which dangled from a silver chain .

"Well I had to do a lot of research into the Pevensies, Hermione, there isn't much to speak of after your grandfather died in that train crash, along with his sister and brother. His one surviving sister, Susan was rather reluctant to speak with me."

"Great Aunt Susan hates us, that's why." Hermione murmured. "She always hated my grandmother and my mom she blames us for grandpa's death."

"Well your great Aunt has a lot of regrets, and yes she always blamed your grandfather for marrying your grandmother. This box though, it held your grandfather's spurs once. Of course, they are long gone now…" I mumbled. Susan said Peter brought it back with him entirely by accident and the box was one of his most treasured possessions. After he died Susan admits to stealing the box from his house as a remembrance."

Hermione's eyes were sparkling, "Do you know how young he was when he died?" she whispered, "He was twenty-two, he didn't even know about my mother yet. Grandma never talked about him, it hurt her too much." She brushed a tear away, "but this necklace and earrings aren't new either, whose were they?"

"My mother's it was a gift to her when she found out she was a witch." I swallowed. Praying she didn't realize the exact significance this represented.

She looked up at me startled, her brownish hazel eyes incredulous, "Harry," she paused to swallow, "this is hereditary jewelry."

"I know." I said softly

A/N: Well hopefully this will satisfy everyone for the time being, review please!


	35. Purity of Intent

**Chapter 35-Purity of Intent**

_(Hermione's POV)_

The whirlwind of emotions that was coursing through my mind and heart were nearly too much to deal with. Starting with the ball and going up till last night I couldn't place all of the emotions if I tried.

I sat alone in the boxcar nominally reading my book (which I actually was not). I got up super early before anyone and snuck out to isolate myself on this train. I couldn't deal with any more insanity. I put an anti-penetration charm and silencing charm on the door to my car and drew the curtains to avoid prying eyes. No doubt the boys were worried sick about me, but I just couldn't deal with them right now, especially Harry.

Boot left me feeling dirty and broken and I tried scrubbing off his filth for hours after words and continue to rub my skin nearly raw on a daily basis trying to get rid of his touch. It does not work. I hide this well from the boys with my long sleeves and pants, only my face is rather visible, but the redness could be attributed to the cold.

Bless Ron and Harry they tried so hard to protect me after, but I still see him leering at me from across the hall and feel his hands in my nightmares. Ron glares daggers at him every time they get within range, but Harry is silent, and in truth I don't think we've seen the full extent of Harry's anger yet and that concerns me.

What also concerns me was Harry's gift last night, I'm not sure he knows just what the significance is of what he just gave me, or if he does that he knows how it makes me feel. _Not that I really even know myself._

I look down at the luminous lily attached to the chain of silver and pearls, and it winked at me from the reflected sunlight as if to reassure me. _I know Harry meant well._

The problem with hereditary jewelry is just that, it's meant to be kept in the family, and in the rare cases that it is given by a family member to someone outside means one of two things. _Who are you kidding, it's really only one thing._

Nominally jewelry given outside the family is a form of adoption into that family, and comes with magical bonds to the family. The primary one being that family is required to defend and protect the recipient. Nowadays, only the oldest wizarding families still carry this tradition, and only in the form of engagements and proposals of marriage.

I rest my cheek on the frigid glass hoping it will relieve the raging headache I have as I try to sort everything out, the jostling of the train when we hit a rough spot in the track makes me wince and I remove my head.

Obviously Harry (if he knows about the tradition at all) meant this as the former not the latter. Of course while I do have feelings for Harry and would like for it to be the latter, I am glad it is not at the moment. I don't want to be owned like some piece of furniture. Right now it almost feels like Harry and Boot are having a pissing contest over me, even though I know Harry is only trying to defend me.

I am startled from my reverie by a hurricane-force gale that rips my windows open and tears the curtains from their rods and flings the doors of the boxcar wide open, along with the wind came a pile of snow and the sky has darkened to a deep inky blue when seconds ago it was sunny. I look over at what remains of the boxcar door to find a rather sheepish Ron and Harry. Ron points at Harry.

Soon a crowd of students begins gathering but miraculously a platinum blonde head appears from nowhere to disperse the crowd, "Nothing to see here, just an experiment gone awry." Malfoy glares at his fellow students, and they cow-tow back to their cars.

"Really Potter, I know you thought she was in trouble, but couldn't you have found a less dramatic way of breaking the charm?" Malfoy drawled as he pushed his way between Harry and Ron who looked surprised to see him there.

Harry who had been eerily silent for the whole ordeal gave a withering glance to Malfoy, "Have you ever tried to break any of Hermione's charms? Nothing short of explosions does."

"Yeah but this is twice now Potter, there are other students who recognize it too and rumors are flying throughout the train as we speak." Malfoy crossed his arms with his classic sour expression.

"Recognize what?" said Ginny arriving in a flash of brilliant red hair.

"Will you all just leave well enough alone!" bellowed Harry, "We were checking on Hermione, she went missing this morning." He finished in a lowered voice.

"No doubt running from having to see your ugly mug," Malfoy began, "that does not change what you've done though. First in Flitwick's class and now changing the weather and breaking the doors. Potter you're an idiot if you haven't connected the dots."

Harry's looked confused, but despite his truce with Malfoy his old enmity would not allow him to see that, only I who knew him well could see it.

"Well?" Ginny broke the tension

"Potter is an elemental." Malfoy said simply. "More specifically, he controls the air hence his wind storms and changing the weather. It happens when his emotions are running too high."

I'll admit Malfoy's revelation floored even me, I should have seen it though. Malfoy sighed dramatically and pushed all of us Gryffindors in my boxcar and shut the doors as best he could. Ginny magically looked them.

"Look," he began after we all sat down, "those of us from old wizarding families were brought up on stories of witches and wizards that could control the elements, they only surfaced in dire times. However, those of us in old families usually chose to ignore this, and hoped that since these powers tended to surface in pureblood families that some day one of our scions would be born with that power again."

"That is what I had been taught, the truth is that there is no real predicting the elemental powers they surface just as often in muggleborns as they do in purebloods. Trust me I've done the research." He said with a sigh, "Just call it a summer reading assignment from my father."

He paused for a bit and then continued, "What I never told my father is there is no way pureblood families can predict it, but it can be predicted another way they refuse to see." We all leaned in with rapt attention, "the powers show themselves in the heirs of the founders in troubled times. All you have to do is trace the lines." Here he stopped in defeat, "Which is easier said than done. Aside from the Gryffidor and Slytherin heirs I have no idea who the others are."

Ron joined in, "Well who is the Slytherin heir?"

"I should think that was obvious." Malfoy retorted, "It's Voldemort."

"And you." Ginny said with conviction. All eyes focused on her.

"That's not possible for the element to be in two people at once." Malfoy countered.

"It is when they're such polar opposites." She sighed, "Ever since my accident I keep having visions of a green snake and black one, they have a massive battle with each other, and each snake has a coat of arms branded on its scales. The black one had Riddle's, and the green one had yours." She looked at Malfoy.

"That doesn't mean I can call up the earth." He said

"In the battle you both did." She said soflty.

"That's all well and fine, but since when have you ever had visions Ginny?" Ron asked impatiently, "What's to say this is real?"

"You can't find your charms homework." She replied, "you left it in your dirty socks last weekend."

"Really Ron?!" I exclaimed "Your socks?"

"Well I figured I'd find it when I went to do my laundry." He mumbled turning red.

"Back to the point though," Harry interjected, "we know who everyone is then, all that remains to be seen is who gets what power."

Malfoy and the Weasleys looked puzzled. "I know I'm thick but I know I didn't miss the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff heirs being announced." Ron replied

I winced. _He's not going to like this at all._ Harry looked at me, and I took a deep breath. _It's best coming from me._

"Ron the founders' lines have mostly died out over the millennia, so there are very few families that can claim descent from them anymore, especially when the lines bore squibs. However, the Slytherin line has two descending families which separated in the 1600s, the Riddles and the Malfoys." I paused for a breath, "The Gryffindor line has produced the Potters as their only living descendant. The Ravenclaw line had two families in the last generation. They went by the name of Pevensie and Evans. The line divided in the 1200s. The Evans line was-"

"Lily Evans' Harry's mum." Ron interrupted.

"That's not possible for two founders to be evidenced in one heir though." Malfoy said

"Lily carried Ravenclaw's power, but Harry only has small traces of it. The actual line now runs through the Pevensie blood. Helen Pevensie, a muggle, married another muggle named Harold Granger. I am their daughter." I gulped looking around at my classmates.

Malfoy burst out laughing, Ginny's face looked shocked initially before she made sense of it, but Ron looked steam-rolled. Harry looked at him trying to think what to say.

"What would father say to all his pureblood plans?" Malfoy chuckled

"I think we all know who the last one is…" Ron said glumly looking at his sister, "It only fits the pattern."

"What pattern?" piped Ginny

"Two male heirs for the male founders and two female heirs for the female founders, Ginny you're Hufflepuff's heir. It doesn't take an idiot to figure that." He said angrily

"But I'm not even in Hufflepuff!" she retorted angrily, "Even if I were Ronald, I don't see why you're all jealous about it. It just means I have a giant red X on my back once Riddle finds out."

"Think Ginny, I'm not in Ravenclaw, but I'm still her heir, you show the signs of her house even though you're not there." I reason "You and Ron are both loyal to a fault to those you care about."

"I don't have any powers though!" Ron exclaimed

"You'll still show some of Hufflepuff's loyalty and resolve because you're from her bloodline even if not her heir." Harry replied, "Just like Hermione shows Gryffindor traits, and I show Ravenclaw ones."

"That's a good question Hermione, how did you even end up Gryffindor as Ravenclaw's heir?" Malfoy asked curiously as he re-joined the conversation. All eyes turned to me except Harry who already knew the answer.

"Really you all don't know this already? Does _anyone _read Hogwarts: A History?" I throw my hands in the air in exasperation.

"You always ask that question Hermione and nobody ever changes their answer." Ron said with more than a hint of sarcasm

"It's amazing how much you all can pass Snape's potions class and not connect the simplest pair of dots in our history." I replied a bit harshly, "Two exceptionally powerful male wizards and two uniquely powerful female witches…" I paused for effect.

Malfoy realized it first and wrinkled his nose in disgust…"Ewww…that means I'm more than just Slytherin doesn't it?"

Harry and I knodded, "You're partially Hufflepuff too, and consequently all of Hufflepuff and Slytherin's heirs have come from pureblood families." I said

Ginny blanched.

Ron managed to squeak out, "So that means Ginny and I are re-related to Riddle?"

"Only very distantly." Harry quickly replied

"A thousand some odd years distant." I corrected

Ron and Ginny looked somewhat placated, Malfoy nearly giggled, "So that means I'm related to the Weasels! What a comedic afternoon this has turned out to be." I wasn't sure he believed us.

"How long have you two known all this?" Ron asked bitterly with a sign of resignation

"Since Dumbledore told us at the beginning of the schoolyear." I answered in what I hoped was a placating tone. "The only thing Dumbledore didn't know was who Slytherin's heir was since the pureblood deatheater families keep their records sealed."

"Well I should think that was obvious," Malfoy began, "I'm the only Slytherin with an ounce of acumen it seems, though you didn't know about the elemental powers at all did you?" he finished

"No that was a complete surprise." Harry answered

"Make that more than an ounce if I outsmarted the old man." Malfoy said kicking back his legs as he stretched with a smirk.

"So this doesn't settle how we train on elements that nobody knows how to use, who has what element (besides air) or what Voldemort is after this year." Ginny concluded

"Why are we taking Malfoy's word on any of this anyway?" Ron replied angrily, "Who knows maybe he's not really Slytherin's heir after all and just wants to spy on us."

"Because of this!" Malfoy angrily gestured ripping off his robe and sweater followed by his starched white high-collared shirt. A hideous scar the size of the bottom of the average mug had been carved into his back right shoulder. Ginny immediately retched on the floor and Ron gasped.

It was exactly the same pattern as Ginny's but much larger.

"When did you get this?" Harry asked tentatively

"Diagon Alley this summer the day I saw you both." Malfoy mumbled. His pleading silver eyes asked Harry and I not to reveal just who had given it to him. After an awkward pause he grabbed for his shirt and began buttoning it back up.

Ginny was pale as death, but managed to clean her mess and then sat staring at Malfoy with new-found respect. Ron was for once expression-less and playing with his hands. Harry looked at me, his eyes asking some question that I could not answer.

"Well I say we disperse before someone gets a bad idea about this meeting," Harry began, "First though, we need to agree to meet again over break to work on our powers that nobody can teach us about but apparently ourselves. I know just the place." He paused, "You three should be able to get there with no problem." He looked at the Weasleys and I. "However, for you…" he looked at Malfoy, "things are more difficult, send me an owl over break before the New Year and I'll set up a meeting place where we can figure this out."

Everyone silently nodded and gathered up their things to slip out of the car one by one leaving just me and Harry. He looked at me with sad eyes as he walked out, then ducked out of the car into the passage, gone with a swoosh of fluttering cape, rather like a kinder version of Snape.

There was a small white rosebud where he had been sitting.

**A/N**: Sorry about the tardiness of updates, work has been a beast, but being home with the flu has some benefits...


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